Avalanche claims 10 Nepali climbers at Himalayan base camp

An avalanche that struck the base camp of Himlung Himal in Manang district on Sunday morning left ten Nepali climbers missing. The team, preparing to lead an expedition for foreign clients, had been setting up the camp when the snow surge hit.

Organisers of the climb said local guides were at a staging point near the 7,126‑metre peak when the avalanche struck. Weather forecasts had predicted heavy snowfall in the area in recent days, increasing danger for the region.

Rescue teams and helicopters have been unable to reach the site because of poor weather. Bibhuti Chand Thakur, leading the Himalayan Holidays Trekking group, confirmed that eight of his team and an additional two climbers from another company were reported missing.

The incident follows earlier in the year a loss of six climbers on Broad Peak in Pakistan, which included notable mountaineer Nirmal Purja. The broader region has seen heightened risks: floods and landslides on the Nepal‑Tibet border left more than 6,000 people missing and a glacial collapse sent debris down the Trishuli River valley, killing over 1,400 residents.

This event highlights the growing vulnerability of Himalayan climbing routes to extreme weather, a trend linked to changing climate patterns. The tourism sector, heavily reliant on safe climbs, faces uncertainty as nature’s unpredictability intensifies.