Nepal: Seven killed, four missing after avalanche hits Yalung Ri

Seven persons, including two Nepali guides, were killed while eight others went missing in an avalanche that occurred at the Yalungri base camp in Rolwaling area of Gaurishankar rural municipality-9 in Nepal on Monday morning. Yalung Ri is a trekking peak in the Great Himalayan trail in the Rolwaling region of Bagmati Province, standing at 5,630 meters. 5 foreign climber and two Nepali guides were killed in the avalanche. There were as many as 15 foreign climbers along with Nepali guides in the team. According to sources, the rescue operation got delayed as the Rolwaling area is a prohibited zone for flying choppers. Search for the missing ones continues with a joint squad of the Nepali Army, the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force. Search and Rescue operations are difficult due to adverse weather.

The climbers had spent the night at Na village before heading to the Yalung Ri base camp on Sunday, following a brief improvement in the weather. The Rolwaling Valley had experienced continuous snow and poor weather conditions for several days before the tragedy. The local people of Na had descended to Beding following continuous snowfall.