Four injured airlifted to Kathmandu after deadly Yalung Ri avalanche
At least three climbers were killed and several others remain missing as rescue efforts continue amid poor weather and difficult terrain.
Sun Bahadur Gurung sustained a right hip dislocation during the Yalung Ri avalanche. He was airlifted the following day and admitted to HAMS Hospital for treatment.
PC: Dewan Rai
Two injured Nepali climbers and two French nationals have been airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment following Monday’s avalanche on Yalung Ri in Dolakha’s Rolwaling region, which left at least three climbers dead and several others missing, police said.
According to District Superintendent of Police DSP Gyan Kumar Mahato, Nepali climbers Lakpa Tamang and Sun Bahadur Gurung have been admitted to HAMS Hospital in Maharajgunj, while French nationals Isabel Solonge and Dididr Armand Bfrion are undergoing treatment at ERA International Hospital in Sorakhutte.
Mahato said rescue efforts are continuing in the avalanche-hit area, where adverse weather and difficult terrain have slowed the operation. “A team of rescuers is still working to locate those missing,” he said.
The avalanche struck around 9:30 a.m. on Monday as multiple expedition groups — including climbers from France, Canada, and Italy — were making their summit push on Yalung Ri, a 5630 metre peak near the Tibet border.
Poor weather, heavy snowfall, and limited communication have made it difficult for officials to verify the status of all climbers.
A 50 member security team has been deployed from Dolakha, while local residents from Na village have been assisting with ground efforts.
Yalung Ri, designated a trekking peak in 2014, lies between Gaurishankar and Melungtse and is one of Nepal’s most remote and avalanche prone climbing regions. The Department of Tourism said it had not issued climbing permits for Yalung Ri this autumn, though nearby peaks such as Dolma Khang were permitted for ascent.
This year’s autumn climbing season, Nepal’s second busiest after spring, has seen over 1,400 climbers obtain permits. However, rescue operations across the Himalayas have been disrupted in recent days due to worsening weather caused by a cyclone system over India.
