Two Dead, 12 Missing After Avalanche on Nepal's Himlung Himal

An avalanche on Himlung Himal, a 7,126-meter (23,380-foot) peak in north-central Nepal, has claimed the lives of at least two individuals. Rescue teams are actively searching for 12 people who remain missing following the severe weather event. The avalanche occurred as climbers were preparing for the autumn climbing season.

Highlights

• Two people were killed in an avalanche on Mount Himlung Himal.
• At least 12 climbers are reported missing, with search efforts ongoing.
• Ten individuals were rescued from the avalanche site.
• All those killed or missing are confirmed to be Nepali nationals.
• The region has also experienced floods and landslides due to heavy rainfall.

Details

The avalanche struck a base camp on Himlung Himal on Sunday, where climbers were making preparations for foreign clients arriving for the climbing season. Tul Singh Gurung, president of the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association, told AFP that "Two bodies were found as rescuers worked until 6 pm (12:30 GMT) last night. The search continues for 14 expedition workers who are still missing." The number of missing has since been updated to 12 after two bodies were recovered. The remains of the deceased were airlifted to Kathmandu on Monday.

In the Manang district, where the mountain is located, heavy rainfall over the weekend also led to reports of flooding and landslides. The Nepalese government had issued warnings about severe weather across the Himalayan nation. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) reported that an additional 21 people died and five more went missing in various parts of the country between Thursday and Sunday.

Why it matters

This avalanche is the latest in a series of natural disasters to hit Nepal, which is still recovering from devastating floods in August. Researchers suggest that such events are part of a "compound crisis" influenced by long-term warming, glacier retreat, and geological instability. This situation highlights the impacts of climate change in the Himalayan region and underscores the inherent risks associated with mountaineering activities there.