Nepal Himlung Avalanche: 4 Dead, 12 Missing After Base Camp Hit
The Nepal Himlung Avalanche has killed four people and left a dozen or so missing at the base camp of Himlung Himal in Manang district, according to IANS and AP, as of Monday afternoon, September 28. A rescue team is searching the site, but the missing figure varies between reports.
What Happened at Himlung Himal Base Camp
An avalanche struck the base camp area of Mount Himlung on Sunday morning, September 27. The 7,126-metre (23,380-foot) peak lies in north-central Nepal, close to the border with Tibet, and the camp sits in the Nar Phu area of Manang district, AP reported. Outlets differ slightly on the timing, with most saying Sunday morning and AFP saying early Sunday, so this report does not give a clock time. Rescue efforts were delayed on the first day because bad weather kept helicopters from reaching the peak, according to the Kathmandu Post.
Death Toll and the Four Named Victims
As of Monday afternoon, September 28, four bodies have been recovered. Chief district officer of Manang, Mukti Prasad Khanal, put the count at four, according to IANS. ANI, citing the Nepal National Mountain Guides Association (NNMGA), said two bodies were found Sunday and two more Monday.
PTI-sourced copy carried by the Daily Pioneer named the four dead as Chhebi Bhote, Pasang Bhote, Birendra Gurung and Ghan Shyam Rai. The first two were the Sunday recoveries, and the other two were found Monday. The bodies were airlifted, and some were taken to Kathmandu. Earlier reports of two dead are out of date.
The toll comes as readers follow other recent disasters, including a deadly vessel capsizing in Congo.
The Missing: Why the Numbers Differ
The number of people still missing depends on the source and the time of the report, and no single figure should be treated as settled. As of Monday afternoon, September 28, AP, IANS and the Kathmandu Post, the latter quoting NNMGA president Tul Singh Gurung, put the number at 12. PTI-sourced copy also reported 12.
Earlier on Monday, AFP quoted Gurung saying 14 were missing, and the Kathmandu Post carried the same figure that morning. Both came before the two Monday recoveries. PTI also reported at one point that eight remained missing. Officials and AP put the figure at 12, while PTI reported 8 at one point.
Who Was at the Camp
The number of people at the camp is also unclear. Khanal told IANS that 27 people were believed to be there, of whom 11 had made contact. PTI, via The Tribune, said the buried tent held nine climbers and 13 support staff, which adds up to 22. Between 22 and 27 people were believed to be at the camp, according to different officials.
Those involved were Nepali high-altitude workers and guides. PTI, quoting the Kathmandu Post, said more than two dozen of them from Himalayan Holidays and Imagine Nepal Trek and Expedition travelled to Himlung about two weeks earlier to prepare the climbing route and base camp before the autumn season.
Rescue Efforts on Monday
The Kathmandu Post reported that a 14-member rescue team was flown by helicopter from Chame to the base camp on Monday morning. It was led by Mingma G Sherpa of Imagine Nepal. AFP, quoting Gurung, described a team of eight mountain guides, so the size of the search party also depends on the report. ANI, citing the NNMGA, said the team planned to keep working for another three to four hours, conditions permitting.
There is a distinction between rescued and contacted. AP, citing Khanal, said rescuers brought two bodies and 10 survivors down by helicopter. Al Jazeera also reported at least 10 rescued. Contact is a different matter: PTI-sourced copy spoke of contact with 10 people, and IANS quoted Khanal as saying 11 had made contact.
Weather and the Wider Disaster Backdrop
Accounts of Monday’s conditions differ. Khanal told IANS that the weather had improved markedly after days of incessant rain that triggered landslides and flooding in parts of the country, including Manang. AFP, however, quoted Mingma G Sherpa describing challenging weather that was still hampering the rescue. PTI, citing the district administration, reported that heavy rain in Manang had triggered flooding and landslides.
The avalanche follows a much larger disaster. On August 26, flooding near the Nepal-China border killed more than 1,400 people and left more than 5,000 missing, according to IANS. PTI gave figures of more than 1,450 dead and around 5,000 missing, while AP said more than 1,400 died and thousands were missing. Severe weather has also made headlines elsewhere, from Bangkok’s flood disaster to the nor’easter that battered the US East Coast.
What Officials Are Saying and What’s Next
Khanal has been the main source for casualty and rescue figures, and Gurung has provided the NNMGA’s numbers. Ram Krishna Lamichhane, director general of the Department of Tourism, said the department is monitoring the situation, according to the Kathmandu Post. No official cause has been given for the avalanche.
The search is continuing. What to watch next: an updated count of the missing from Manang officials, the identities of any further recovered victims, and whether weather allows helicopters and the rescue team to keep working at the base camp.
