Avalanche hits Nepal's Manang, 4 dead and 12 missing; rescue teams search for survivors

An avalanche at the base camp of Mount Himlung in Nepal's Manang district has killed at least four people and left 12 missing, with rescue teams searching through heavy snow on Monday, according to the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association and officials.

Eight experienced mountain guides from the association resumed the search after weather conditions improved, digging through snow that buried tents at the 7,126-metre (23,380-foot) peak in north-central Nepal. Ten people were rescued after the avalanche struck on Sunday.

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The four people killed were all Nepali nationals who had been preparing the base camp and climbing route ahead of the autumn mountaineering season. The victims were supporting staff and mountain guides awaiting the arrival of foreign climbers.

The Nepal National Mountain Guide Association said two bodies were recovered on Monday, after two others were found on Sunday. Helicopters transported the recovered remains to Kathmandu.

The death toll was four, while eight people remained missing, according to PTI, which cited Nepalese officials. The Associated Press, however, reported that 12 people were missing after the avalanche, indicating a discrepancy in the number of people still unaccounted for.

A 14-member rescue team was deployed to search for the missing workers and guides, PTI reported. The team flew by helicopter from Chame to the Himlung base camp on Monday morning, where guides experienced in high-altitude operations began searching likely locations.

The operation has been hampered by severe weather and difficult mountain conditions. Heavy rainfall in Manang has also triggered flooding and landslides, according to the district administration.

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The avalanche came as Nepal's mountain districts experienced continuous rain and snowfall. The country's disaster management agency said 21 other people had been killed and five remained missing in different parts of Nepal between Thursday and Sunday, according to AP.

Nepal is also recovering from devastating flash floods in August that killed more than 1,400 people and left thousands missing.