4 bodies recovered, 12 still missing after avalanche hits Himalayas base camp

HIMLUNG HIMAL, NEPAL, 29 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

KATHMANDU, Sept 29 (Reuters) – Four bodies were recovered and identified on Saturday after an avalanche swept a base camp on Himlung Himal, a 7,126‑metre peak in Nepal’s Manang district, while 12 people remain missing, mountaineer Mingma G Sherpa said.

The disaster adds to a string of extreme weather events that have battered Nepal in recent weeks. Forecasts had warned of heavy snowfall around the Himlung Himal area in the days before the slide, and the country has already been coping with persistent rain, floods and landslides that have devastated mountain districts.

In August, a massive flood and landslide on the Nepal‑Tibet border left more than 6,000 people missing, while a glacial collapse earlier this year sent water and debris down the Trishuli River valley, killing more than 1,400 residents. The avalanche therefore arrives amid a broader pattern of climate‑related hazards that have strained Nepal’s disaster response capacity.

According to the Nepal National Mountain Guides Association (NNMGA), the avalanche hit the base camp of Himlung Himal in the Nar Phu region of Manang, where a group of Nepalese climbers and support workers were preparing the route for an upcoming climbing season. The sheet of snow that fell on the camp buried several tents and forced rescuers to contend with deep drifts and poor visibility.

Initial attempts to reach the site were hampered by adverse weather, with helicopters and ground teams unable to land or operate safely, a difficulty echoed by Mingma G Sherpa who said “adverse weather conditions also hampered the search.”

Rescue teams were dispatched from Kathmandu by helicopter later on Sunday, bringing an eight‑member search unit from the NNMGA to the scene. A larger 14‑member rescue team was subsequently mobilised, and the operation continued into Monday as thick snow and deteriorating weather limited progress.

“The rescue effort is now expected to continue on Monday due to the thick snow and bad weather,” local media reported, underscoring the logistical challenges of mounting a high‑altitude response in such conditions.

Four bodies have been recovered and identified, including the climbing guides Pasang Bhote and Chhebi Bhote, both from Sankhuwasabha, according to the NNMGA President Tul Singh Gurung. The Nepalese team had initially reported that two bodies were recovered on Sunday, but later updates confirmed the total of four. The exact number of people still unaccounted for remains unclear; reports have varied between 10 and 14 missing.

Bibhuti Chand Thakur of Himalaya Holidays Trekking told AFP that “at least eight members of his expedition team had been reported missing.” The NNMGA said the missing include 14 kitchen and base‑camp staff and two climbing guides.

The incident strikes at a time when Nepal’s climbing tourism, a key source of income for the mountain districts, is already under pressure. Earlier this week, climbers were forced to abandon an ascent of Mount Manaslu, the world’s eighth‑highest peak, because of rising avalanche risk. The Himlung Himal avalanche could further deter trekkers and expedition groups, potentially reducing revenue for local guides, porters and hospitality providers that depend on the seasonal influx of foreign climbers.

Authorities said rescue operations will proceed as weather permits, with additional helicopter sorties planned if conditions improve. The avalanche highlights the growing vulnerability of Nepal’s high‑altitude communities to extreme weather, a trend that has also affected neighbouring regions of India and other parts of Asia in the past week.

As Nepal continues to grapple with the aftermath of floods, landslides and glacial outbursts, the focus remains on locating the remaining missing persons and providing assistance to the families of those confirmed dead.