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Two bodies have been recovered following an avalanche at the base camp of Himlung Himal in Nepals high-altitude Manang district.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), via Nepal Police headquarters,confirmed in a post on X that search and rescue personnel dispatched to the site recovered two deceased individuals at the high-elevation camp. https://x.com/NDRRMA_Nepal/status/2104194722118144153 Earlier in the day, expedition organisers confirmed that at least 10 people have gone missing after the avalanche struck the base camp. Expedition organiser Mingma Gyalje Sherpa confirmed that two of his kitchen staff were among those missing after the avalanche. The avalanche hit on Sunday morning, he said. According to Sherpa, expedition teams and rope-fixing teams had evacuated the mountain slopes following a weather warning issued last week, while some people reluctantly stayed back. The mountain region had witnessed heavy snowfall for several days, forcing climbers to retreat from the autumn ascent of the mountain. Those missing in Sunday's avalanche are from different expedition companies. Himlung Himal, standing at 7,126 metres in Manang district, requires an additional permit for helicopter flights, adding to the difficulties involved in reaching the mountain. The 7,126-metre peak is a popular objective for climbers seeking experience at high altitude. The incident comes as a weather system over the Bay of Bengal brings heavy snowfall to the mountains and persistent rainfall to Nepal's hills and plains. Rain and snowfall have affected several parts of the country. Nepal has been witnessing adverse weather conditions since Friday, disrupting roads and prompting local authorities to close several sections to traffic. Tourism authorities have urged trekkers and climbers to suspend activities as weather conditions deteriorate. The Department of Tourism has also issued an alert advising that tourism activities be put on hold. Meanwhile, floodwaters from the Narayani River have inundated several areas, as a result of which a warning has been issued by the authorities to evacuate the areas. This comes as relentless rainfall since Thursday has killed at least 14 people all across Nepal, with inundation, flooding and landslides reported from all across the nation, prompting alerts and warnings. This morning, authorities issued a warning for all the residents living along the Narayani River in Central Nepal after it crossed the warning level of 9 meters and entered the settlements. Highways leading to Chitwan, which serves as the juncture to travel across the nation, also remain blocked, with landslides reported in multiple locations. At least 6 people died from Thursday in the rain-induced disaster till Saturday evening, as per the NDRRMA, while four additional people were dead on Sunday morning in a landslide incident in Myagdi District. Similarly, a landslide in adjoining Baglung District has also killed four additional people, a local official confirmed to ANI.The Kaligandaki River flowing through the district has also swept away houses and bridges, disconnecting road connectivity. Security forces have been carrying out evacuations in multiple districts following the inundation and risk of floods, moving thousands of people to safer grounds. The latest disaster in the Himalayan Nation comes a month after the tragedy of the Bhotekoshi Floods, which so far have claimed over 1400 lives and left over 6000 missing. (ANI)
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