KATHMANDU: The death toll in the Himalayan trekking disaster rose sharply yesterday with the discovery of at least seven more bodies in the snow on a pass in Nepal.
Thirty-nine people are known to have died when an unseasonal storm swept high ridges and passes on Tuesday, on a popular 320km trekking route around Annapurna, the world’s 10th tallest peak, catching scores of western walkers.
Niranjan Shrestha, spokesman for the Nepalese army, said the remains found today were of four Canadian and three Indian trekkers. “Due to heavy snow helicopters were unable to land ... We are hoping to recover the bodies early morning tomorrow [Sunday],” he said.
Other officials gave the total dead as nine. The overall toll is expected to rise as snow melts and rescuers push into new areas. More than 40 people are still unaccounted for, mainly independent trekkers. Ramesh Prasad Dhamala, president of the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), said that they had information that around 22 trekkers were stuck in between Yak Kharka and Fedi. He said a rescue was planned for today.
Concerns are now growing that several British trekkers could have been caught in the storm. The Foreign Office confirmed they had been contacted by concerned families who had not heard from their relatives in days but said they had received no information about any British victims. Officials in Nepal told the Guardian they, too, had no reports of British casualties.
The storm, caused by a cyclone that crossed northern India last weekend, caught hikers as they crossed the exposed 5,400m Thorong pass, one of the final stages of the famous Annapurna circuit route and its highest point.
At least 17 tourists died from exposure or in avalanches on the pass after the weather deteriorated fast, bringing biting cold, heavy snowfall and low visibility. Foreign victims included hikers from Canada, India, Israel and Poland, but an equal number of local guides and porters perished.
October is peak trekking season in Nepal and usually sees perfect conditions for the sport. Nepal’s biggest mountains largely remain the preserve of experienced mountaineers with technical equipment and experience. However, trekking attracts many more people. More than 110,000 foreign trekkers visited Annapurna in 2013.
The Guardian
