Over a dozen climbers missing after Himlung avalanche in Manang

KATHMANDU: Over a dozen climbers and support staff have gone missing after an avalanche struck climbing parties at Himlung Himal in Manang.

The avalanche occurred Sunday morning at Himlung Himal in Narpabhumi Rural Municipality-5 of Manang.’

The base camp of Himlung village is about a five-hour walk from Phu village in northern Manang. Phu village lies in the remote Nar Phu region of Manang and is a restricted area.

Authorities suspect that people may have been caught in the avalanche, the Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal said in a statement.

Around a dozen people are feared missing among the 22-member team that had gone to climb the mountain. The team consisted of nine climbers and 13 support staff.

All of them are Nepalis, according to APF Nepal’s Joint Spokesperson DSP Shailendra Thapa.