The avalanche hit the base camp of the 7,126-metre (23,380 ft) peak in Manang district on Sunday morning. The group comprised Nepalese nationals, including climbers and support staff, who had been sent ahead of foreign climbers to prepare the camp, manage the route and fix ropes.
Bibhuti Chand Thakur of Himalaya Holidays Trekking told the AFP news agency that at least eight members of his expedition team had been reported missing. The precise number of climbers still unaccounted for remains unclear.
Heavy snowfall in recent days around the peak, which lies on Nepal’s border with Tibet, created treacherous conditions. Poor weather initially prevented helicopters and rescue teams from reaching the site. A rescue team of experienced mountaineers was rushed from Kathmandu by helicopter, but efforts are now expected to continue into Monday due to thick snow and ongoing bad weather, according to local media.
Nepal’s mountain districts have seen persistent rain and snow in recent days, posing additional risks for the country’s economically important climbing tourism industry. Earlier this week, climbers were forced to abandon attempts on Mount Manaslu, the world’s eighth-highest peak, due to the rising threat of avalanches.
The loss of Nepalese climbers follows less than two months after six mountaineers died on Broad Peak in Pakistan, among them renowned British-Nepalese climber Nirmal Purja.