Avalanche on Nepal’s Mount Yalung Ri Kills Seven Climbers, Four Still Missing
KATHMANDU: Nepal, At least seven climbers, including five foreigners and two Nepalis, were killed after an avalanche struck Mount Yalung Ri in eastern Nepal, according to local media reports. Four other climbers remain missing.
The Kathmandu Post, citing local officials, reported that the avalanche hit a team of 15 climbers as they ascended the 5,630-metre (18,471-foot) Yalung Ri peak in the Rolwaling Valley.
“The avalanche buried everyone on the slope,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Gyan Kumar Mahato. “We received information late, and bad weather delayed the immediate rescue response.”
Mahato confirmed that the dead included three French climbers, one Canadian, one Italian, and two Nepalis. Four injured Nepali climbers have been evacuated, while four others remain missing.
One survivor told The Kathmandu Post that the group called for help but received no response for several hours. “We shouted and cried for help, but no one could reach us,” the unnamed climber said. “We were told a helicopter would come after four hours, but by then, several of our friends were gone.”
The Rolwaling Valley had been experiencing continuous snowfall and poor weather conditions for several days prior to the tragedy. Rescue operations were hampered by heavy snow and thick clouds, preventing helicopters from reaching the site until Monday evening, officials said. Ground teams have also been dispatched, and search efforts are expected to resume on Tuesday morning.
Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest peaks, attracts hundreds of climbers and trekkers every year. Autumn expeditions in October and November are less frequent than the popular spring season, as the shorter, colder days and unstable weather make conditions more hazardous.
Last week, Cyclone Montha brought heavy rain and snowfall across Nepal, leaving trekkers stranded on several mountain routes. In a separate incident, two Italian climbers were reported missing while scaling a remote peak in western Nepal, according to tourism officials.
