An avalanche occurred on a 7,000-meter snow mountain in Nepal. The mountaineering company said that 14 local guides and logistics personnel were missing. The government had issued an early warning.

On the morning of September 27, local time, an avalanche occurred near the Shimron Mountaineering Base Camp in Menen County, northern Nepal. Many Nepalese Sherpa guides and logistics personnel who were preparing for the autumn climbing season lost contact.

Mount Shimron is 7,126 meters above sea level and is one of the more popular 7,000-meter peaks in Nepal among climbers.

At about 9:40 a.m. local time on the 27th, an on-site Sherpa guide called the local mountaineering company Himalayan Holidays for help and requested to dispatch a helicopter. Subsequently, due to deteriorating weather, on-site communications were disrupted.

Himalayan Holidays founder Bibhuti Chand Tha said that after the incident, the on-site team initially reported that eight of the 22 members could not be contacted, and this number later increased to 14. The missing persons are all Nepalese, including Sherpa guides, kitchen staff and other support staff. They entered the mountainous area in advance to set up camps, clear routes and set up fixed ropes for the incoming mountaineering team.

▲Shimron Base Camp, Nepal, where the avalanche occurred

The relevant foreign climbers originally planned to arrive at Shimron Peak about five or six days later, so they had not yet entered the incident area when the avalanche occurred.

At present, three people who were initially reported missing have regained contact with their families and the company, but the specific circumstances of the remaining personnel are still being verified.

After the accident, Nepal dispatched helicopters and organized professional mountaineering guides to participate in the search and rescue. However, severe weather in the mountainous area seriously affected aviation rescue. Subsequently, a rescue team led by the well-known Nepalese mountaineer Mingma Galje Sherpa went to Shimron Peak. A helicopter carried four rescuers to the incident area, and a rescue guide was on standby.

At present, rescue workers have arrived near Shimron Base Camp and have begun searching the snow-covered area. The tops of tents in some distress camps are still exposed from the snow, and rescuers are further confirming the locations of the missing people.

Before the avalanche occurred, the Nepal Tourism Authority issued a safety reminder for climbers, trekkers and support staff on September 23.

Weather forecasts also show that heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning and strong winds may occur in many places in Nepal from September 25 to 27. Snowfall may occur in high-altitude areas, accompanied by risks such as landslides and floods.

Most of the other climbing teams and support staff had descended after the weather warning, but those responsible for preparing the camp in advance remained near the base camp.