Fiscal Nepal
First Business News Portal in English from Nepal
KATHMANDU: Four climbers have been confirmed dead and eight others are missing after a massive avalanche struck Yalung Ri Himal in the Rolwaling Valley of Dolakha district on Thursday morning. According to DSP Gyan Kumar Mahato of Dolakha Police, three injured climbers have been located and rescued, while the search for the missing continues under challenging high-altitude weather conditions.
A team of 15 climbers, including Nepali guides and foreign nationals, had departed from Na village early this morning to summit Yalung Ri, a popular peak in the Gaurishankar Himalayan range often frequented by international mountaineers and adventure tourism climbers. The avalanche occurred roughly one and a half hours into the ascent, at around 10:30 AM, when the group was progressing through a steep ice slope.
Authorities said rescue operations are on standby with helicopters, but poor weather and low visibility have prevented immediate air deployment. “Helicopters are prepared, but flying conditions are currently unfavorable,” DSP Mahato said. “Nepal Police, Nepal Army, and Armed Police Force units are fully mobilized for ground-based rescue if conditions improve.”
Local officials and high-altitude rescue teams are coordinating emergency response efforts with the Tourism Department and Himalayan Rescue Association. The incident has once again highlighted the increasing climate-induced risks in the Himalayas, where unpredictable snowfall and shifting ice formations have raised threats for trekking and mountaineering groups.
Yalung Ri, located near the Nepal–Tibet border, has seen a rise in adventure tourism, drawing climbers seeking technical peak climbing experiences as an alternative to Everest region routes. Authorities are currently verifying nationalities, expedition permits, and logistics records of the climbers involved. Further details will be released as communication with rescue teams improves and weather conditions permit aerial access.
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