Nepal: Seven climbers were buried in a heavy avalanche in Annapurna

Rescue teams are searching for four South Koreans and three Nepalis who have been missing since Friday following a severe snowstorm. "The bad weather and snow in the area make it difficult to move forward"

Nepal: Seven climbers were buried in a heavy avalanche in Annapurna

Seven mountaineers in the Himalayas in Nepal are missing following an avalanche that hit the area. Officials said heavy snow, freezing winds and poor visibility made it difficult to continue the search today for climbers - four South Koreans and three Nepalese - who were near Annapurna, at 3,230 meters above sea level, when the avalanche soon hit the popular area last Friday .

"Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, but the bad weather and snow in the area are making progress difficult," said Mira Acharya of Nepal's tourism ministry. At the same time, relatives of South Korean missing persons came to Kathmandu, along with several officials sent by Seoul to help local forces.

Six of the missing were part of the same delegation, while one of the Nepalese accompanied another group. The four South Koreans - two men and two women - were part of an 11-year-old team of South Korean citizens.

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About 200 people were evacuated from the area following the landslide. Climbers await rescue, yesterday (Photo: Reuters)

Climbers awaiting rescue following an avalanche in Dorali, Nepal, January 18, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

Yesterday helicopters were dispatched to rescue about 200 people stranded in the Annapurna area and other nearby mountains following the landslide. In photos from the area shared on social networks, guesthouses along the climbing path appeared to be covered with a thick layer of snow.

Tech Gurung, a guesthouse owner who helps with the exploration operation, said more than two feet of snow fell down the climbing path. "We have been searching since yesterday, but have not found anything yet. Very windy and snowy. It is very difficult to search the snowy area on foot. Still a lot of snow is falling from above," he told the French news agency by phone.

Heavy snow tends to drop in the Annapurna mountain range, which is very difficult to reach. The death rate is higher than at Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world. About 40 people died in a snowstorm in the area in 2014. It was one of the most difficult climbing disasters ever to hit Nepal.

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Climbers await rescue, yesterday (Photo: Reuters)

Climbers awaiting rescue following an avalanche in Dorali, Nepal, January 18, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)