 "Representational image. Reuters")
Seven people died during a Mount Yalung Ri expedition in Nepal after an avalanche swept through the region. Officials have said that among the dead were five foreign climbers and two Nepali guides.
Armed Police Force spokesperson Shailendra Thapa said five other people were hurt at the base camp, located at 4,900 meters (16,070 feet). The nationalities and identities of the foreign climbers are yet to be confirmed, but local media suggests that three were US citizens, one was Canadian, and one was Italian.
Poor weather conditions have made it difficult for rescue officials to track down the bodies of the deceased. The weather has been deteriorating since last week in Nepal, with snowstorms reported on the mountains.
Rescuers were reaching the site on foot. A rescue helicopter attempted to reach the site, but bad weather forced it to turn back. Thapa said he will try again on Tuesday at dawn.
Mount Yalung Ri is a 5,600-meter (18,370-foot) peak. It is considered a mountain for beginners with no previous experience in climbing high mountains.
Last weekend, five German mountaineers died after being engulfed by a devastating avalanche in the Ortles mountain range of northern Italy. The bodies of the last two victims, identified as a man and his 17-year-old daughter, were recovered on Sunday morning, completing a tragic weekend search effort.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe incident occurred at approximately 4 pm on Saturday while the climbers were ascending a route near the Cima Vertana peak, at an altitude exceeding 3,500 metres (11,500ft). Rescue officials noted the late hour of the ascent as an unusual detail.