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Nepal blizzard: 39 dead while rescue continues in Annapurna region

Hundreds of trekkers have been rescued in northern Nepal after violent snowstorms killed at least 39 people, including 5 at Dhalaugiri Base Camp.

Planetmountain

October 2014

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Helicopter rescue operation in Nepal after the deadly blizzard in October 2014

Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal

Rescue operations are still in full swing in Nepal's Mustang and Manang, the two districts that were severely affected by the overwhelming snow storm at the start of the week sparked by Cyclone Hudhu. According to the BBC, circa 280 people, many of whom were caught out at circa 5000m close to the Thorong La pass while trekking along the famous Annapurna circuit, have been safely brought down but there are reports that the death toll has risen to at least 39. This number is feared to rise as the search for survivors and victims continues.

The Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal is coordinating rescue works in the Annapurna region and providing constant updates about the rescue operations. Unfortunately they also have confirmed the deaths of the five who went missing at Dhaulagiri after an enormous avalanche swept through Base Camp on Tuesday. These have been named as the Slovakians Jan Matlák, Vladimir Švancár and Nepal's Bhoj Kumar Rai, Dorje Sherpa and Gopal Rai.

This tragedy has been described as the worst trekking and climbing disaster Nepal has ever seen, and comes in the wake of this spring's deadly avalanche on Everest that killed 16 Sherpa.

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