Rolwaling Avalanche: 4 Rescued, 3 Confirmed Dead, Search for Missing Ongoing
Ramechhap. Four individuals who went missing after a massive avalanche in the Rolwaling mountain range in Dolakha were rescued this morning. All those rescued were found in an injured condition, according to the Dolakha District Administration Office.
Dolakha’s Chief District Officer, Narayan Prasad Risal, stated that a high-altitude helicopter rescued two foreign nationals and two Nepali guides this morning from near the Yalung Ri peak base camp. He confirmed that the four individuals were airlifted in an injured state from near the avalanche site.
Casualties and Search Efforts
- Fatalities: The deaths of three individuals, including one foreigner, were confirmed yesterday.
- Missing: Search operations are still underway for five people who remain missing.
- Rescued: In addition to the four injured airlifted, three other Nepali guides who survived the avalanche were secured in the nearby Na Village. The administration is preparing to rescue and bring them to Charikot soon.
Incident Details
- Location: The avalanche struck a climbing expedition in the Rolwaling range, near Dolma Khang (6,332m) and Yalung Ri (5,630m) peaks.
- The Team: A total of 15 climbers, including five foreigners, had reached the Yalung Ri Base Camp on Sunday for the ascent of the two peaks.
- The Cause: Due to heavy snowfall, they had set up tents at the base camp. The sudden avalanche hit early Monday morning as they were preparing to begin their climb, burying the climbers.
Rescue Operations
A joint team comprising the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force, and local rescuers has been mobilized for the search and rescue operation. The team is currently advancing towards the avalanche site via Na Village. However, the difficult geographical terrain and adverse weather conditions are posing significant challenges to reaching the location.
The climber groups, traveling through two separate travel companies, were ready to climb both Dolma Khang and Yalung Ri. The avalanche struck Monday morning after they had reached the base camp on Sunday.
