Avalanche on Nepal’s Mount Yalung Ri Kills Seven Climbers, Rescue Operations Underway

A devastating avalanche struck the base camp of Mount Yalung Ri in Nepal on Monday, killing seven climbers — including five foreigners and two Nepali guides — while several others remain missing or injured, officials confirmed. The avalanche hit the expedition’s camp at an altitude of around 4,900 metres in Dolakha district, about 150 kilometres east of Kathmandu.

According to authorities, the climbers were part of a 15-member team attempting to summit the 5,632-metre peak. Four Nepali high-altitude workers are still missing, while rescue teams are struggling to reach the remote site due to poor visibility and heavy snowfall. Officials said worsening weather over the weekend had significantly increased the risk of avalanches in the region.

“The snow conditions had become very unstable due to continuous snowfall,” said a local official, adding that helicopters were initially unable to fly because of dense fog and strong winds. By Tuesday afternoon, rescuers had recovered at least three bodies, while four survivors — including two foreign nationals — were airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment.

French climber Isabelle Solange Thaon, one of the survivors, described the terrifying moment the avalanche struck. “We heard a loud roar, and then everything was white. We were lucky to escape; others were buried under the snow,” she said. Witnesses reported that some climbers were trapped under as much as six metres of packed snow and ice.

Mount Yalung Ri, though not among Nepal’s highest peaks, is a popular destination for mountaineers seeking moderate climbs or acclimatisation before larger expeditions. The mountain lies in the Rolwaling region, known for unpredictable weather patterns and frequent avalanches during the late autumn climbing season.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams using drones and ground searches to locate the missing climbers. Nepal’s Home Ministry said additional helicopters and rescue personnel had been deployed once weather conditions improved.

This tragedy adds to a series of deadly mountaineering accidents in Nepal this year, raising renewed concerns about the safety of climbers amid increasingly erratic weather. Authorities have urged expedition organisers to strictly monitor weather forecasts and exercise caution during the closing weeks of the climbing season.