Nepal avalanche toll rises to 15 deaths with discovery of 8 bodies on Mount Himlung

KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Rescuers discovered eight bodies at the base camp of Mount Himlung in Nepal on Thursday, raising the total number of deaths to 15 following an avalanche during severe weather Sunday.

The Nepal National Mountain Guide Association, which is leading the search, said rescuers dug through snow on Mount Himlung to find eight bodies in tents at the base camp, where one person remains missing.

“Due to continuing mountain hazards, recovery efforts have been temporarily concluded,” the association said. “Further efforts may be possible when conditions allow.”

Experienced mountain guides from the association took advantage of good weather and worked through the week to dig through the snow that covered the base camp.

Rescuers located 10 other climbers who were part of the group on Mount Himlung, a 7,126-meter (23,380-foot) peak in north-central Nepal, which is home to eight of the 14 tallest mountain peaks in the world including Mount Everest.

The avalanche is considered one of the worst disasters in Nepal mountaineering history.

Every year hundreds of foreign climbers come to Nepal to attempt climb the highest mountain peaks. Many of them have lost their lives trying to reach the summits in harsh weather conditions.

All those killed or missing this week were Nepali nationals preparing for foreign clients to arrive for the Autumn climbing season that began this month.

Nepal is still recovering from devastating flooding in August that swept away several villages, leaving more than 1,400 people dead and nearly 6,000 missing.