Himlung Himal Hit By Avalanche Death Toll hits 4 as search Continues

Heavy snowfall and continuous rains caused an avalanche occurrence in the Himlung Himal Base Camp, Manang on Sunday September 27, 2026. The incident buried portions of the base camp, missing expedition workers and climbing guides. Four bodies had been recovered as search for those yet to be accounted for continued Monday, Sept. 28.

The bodies of Chhebi Bhote and Pasang Bhote were found on Sunday while Birendra Gurung and Ghan Shyam Rai were found on Monday, the Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA) said.

The avalanche happened before foreign climbers had arrived on the mountain and was caught as Nepali expedition staff was already at the base camp setting up for the climbing season.

The incident has brought to the forefront the situation for mountaineering teams in the Himalaya during periods of precipitation, both rain and snow. The search and rescue operation is hampered by the weather and mountain conditions and is being carried out by Mingma G. Sherpa and his eight-member team of IFMGA-certified guides.

What Happened at Himlung Himal Base Camp?

The avalanche hit Himlung Himal Base Camp in the Nar Phu area of Manang on Sunday morning. The expedition at the base camp was in preparation for a planned climbing expedition at the time.
The avalanche happened when heavy snow and rain were falling on the Himalayan mountains and the time was, according to The Himalayan times, a time of continuous rain. Previous reports suggested 10 members of the expedition's staff were unreachable. The numbers of people reported missing were subsequently revised upwards by the NNMGA to 16, including two climbing guides and 14 kitchen staff. The two guides were later discovered dead.
The sequence of confirmed dead body recoveries was:

• Chhebi Bhote – recovered on Sunday.
• Pasang Bhote – recovered on Sunday.
• Birendra Gurung – recovered on Monday.
• Ghan Shyam Rai – recovered on Monday.

The confirmed death toll rose to four by September 28, after these four recoveries.
A search for those who are still missing went on when The Himalayan Times released its latest report.

How Many People Were Missing After the Avalanche?

The size of the initial reported missing persons' list evolved as information was collected from the affected area by authorities and expedition operators.

Initial reports said 10 members of the expedition are missing. Later, the NNMGA claimed that 14 kitchen workers and two climbing guides were also missing. The two guides were then confirmed dead.
Four bodies recovered, and the search for the other missing persons continued.

Earlier, the president of Himalayan Holidays Nepal (HHN), Bibhu Chand Thakur, had stated that his company was having 22 members in the base camp, but they have only been able to reach out to 9 members after the avalanche. Establishing the status of everyone at the site was difficult at first because of communication issues.

Who Were at the Himlung Himal Base Camp?

Most of those who were in the path of the avalanche were Nepalese members of the expeditions.
They included:

• Climbing guides.
• Kitchen staff.
• Other expedition support personnel.

Foreign climbers were not on the mountain at the time of the avalanche. Earlier reports in The Kathmandu Post said the Nepali team had already set up the camp, route and set up ropes before foreign clients arrived.
This is significant because initial news reports of the event could lead people to believe that it was an avalanche involving a group of foreign climbers. According to the reports available, those directly affected in the base camp are Nepali expedition workers and guides.

Search and Rescue Operation at Himlung Himal

The rescue operation has been led by experienced mountain guidesmobilized by the NNMGA and IFMGA.
The eight-person team of IFMGA certified guides led by Mingma G. Sherpa arrived at the base camp of the Himlung Himal by helicopter and started the search in the avalanche site. The team was led by Pasang Kaji Sherpa, Ashish Gurung, Tsering Pemba Sherpa, Bikram Karki, Dandu Sherpa and Pasang Rinzi Sherpa and more.
Weather and conditions at the mountain have been a critical factor in the rescue.
The NNMGA team was to keep searching for another three to four hours on Monday, if weather and mountain conditions are favorable, it said. The operation will remain till it is completed, the association said.
The operation, therefore, is not being viewed as a “recovery mission” but rather as an operation that is still underway.

Why Was the Rescue Difficult?

The incident at Himlung Himal was taking place during the tough weather in some parts of Nepal. Around the time of the avalanche, heavy snowfall and heavy rain were reported. This made it difficult to reach the mountain and to communicate with expedition teams.
Several factors made the response challenging:

• Heavy snowfall: Snowfall was reported around the time of the avalanche.
• Continuous rainfall: Persistent rain was also reported in the region.
• Remote location: Himlung Himal is situated in the remote Nar Phu area of Manang.
• Unstable communication: Contact with people at the base camp was difficult after the incident.
• Mountain conditions: Continued search operations depended on whether weather and ground conditions allowed rescuers to work safely.

Earlier reports also said that helicopters were unable to go directly to the mountain due to the inclement weather. Rescue teams were put on standby before access was possible at the affected area.
These conditions are even more critical when responding to an avalanche, as rescuers must enter the area where the avalanche has impacted in addition to the potential for continued snow to fall,unstable terrain, and poor visibility.

What Is Himlung Himal?

Himlung Himal is a 7126-metre peak located in north-central Nepal in the Manang district bordering China. The mountain is located in a remote part of the Nar Phu district.

It's recognized as a mountaineering area and comes under the category of high-altitude expedition peaks in Nepal. Its location is within a biophysical area of high mountains, glaciers, steep slopes and remote valleys.
recent avalanche didn't happen on an ascent to the summit, but at its base camp.

This distinction is relevant while talking about the incident. The avalanche struck expedition staff as they were setting up the infrastructure for climbers and the base camp before the arrival of foreign mountaineers.

How Did the Himalayan Avalanche Happen?

The report in the latest issue of The Himalayan Times states that the avalanche occurred in a snowfall accompanied by continuous rain. The accident is thought to have been caused by these weather conditions.
Avalanches happen when a mass of snow flows swiftly down the mountain side. The triggering mechanism for a specific avalanche may vary from one to another and be influenced by many factors such as snow build-up, rainfall, temperature, wind, slope conditions and the structure of the snow.

The available reporting for the Himlung Himal incident doesn't show a detailed scientific cause other than the link with the heavy snow along with rain that took place in the region.

Therefore, it is important not to assert a more specific trigger without confirmation from the authorities or mountain specialists.

The Role of Himalayan Base Camp Staff

A base camp in the Himalayas is not just a overnight safe haven for climbers prior to climbing a mountain. It can also be used by guides and expedition support teams as a working area.
Support staff can prepare camps, organize supplies, cook and provide accommodation, set up routes and support climbing operations before climbers attempt the summit.
In Nepali expeditions, the workers had reached the base camp before the foreign clients in the case of Himlung Himal. Their work was related to preparations for the next expedition.

The avalanche, in effect, struck those who were engaged in necessary support operations at the mountain, instead of an assault on an attempt to reach the summit.

Four Bodies Recovered From the Avalanche Site

The four bodies recovered over the past two days raised the death toll to four.
The NNMGA identified the recovered individuals as:

• Chhebi Bhote
• Pasang Bhote
• Birendra Gurung
• Ghan Shyam Rai

Chhebi Bhote and Pasang Bhote were retrieved on Sunday and Birendra Gurung and Ghan Shyam Rai on Monday. The corpses of the two killed on Sunday were brought back to Kathmandu from the affected area. According to the Himalayan Times, the bodies were recovered and brought to Kathmandu.

The NNMGA said it conveyed its condolences to the families of the dead and noted that the search operation will go on.

Weather Conditions Across the Region

The wider difficult weather in Nepal caused the avalanche to hit the Himlung Himal.
Heavy rain and snow were occurring on several mountain areas as well as other areas in Manang were facing weather related issues. Prior reports reported floods, landslides, road and communication disruptions in the district.
However, conditions were set up by issues not only at the avalanche site but elsewhere.
The floods in Manang had damaged local infrastructure, and the communication blackout had made it difficult to immediately reach out to individuals in remote areas, to officials and expedition operators.
It also meant that rescue teams would need to deploy personnel to reach Himlung Himal. Weather was a factor in helicopter access and field operations.

What Happens Next in the Himlung Himal Search?

As of September 28, the search operation remained underway.
Its rescue team will continue to search the avalanche area, depending on the weather and the conditions on the mountain, the NNMGA said. The group also claimed that the operation would be carried on until the mission was finished.

The immediate priorities are:

• Searching areas affected by the avalanche.
• Locating people who remain unaccounted for.
• Recovering additional victims if found.
• Transporting recovered bodies from the mountain.
• Maintaining safe conditions for the rescue teams.
• Coordinating between mountain guides, expedition operators and authorities.

As the situation continues to evolve and rescuers gain access to the site and become aware of the number and whereabouts of missing persons, information on those missing may change.

What the Himlung Himal Avalanche Tells Us About High-Mountain Conditions

The Himlung Himal incident is a case in point of a set of practical issues in operating in the unstable weather conditions in the high mountains of Nepal.
Avalanches are a natural hazard on mountains and are not restricted to summits. The incident took place at the base camp, where the expeditioners were busy setting up the climbing area.
Weather also played a big role in determining whether a rescue operation could begin or not, as was indicated by the incident. Conditions around the mountain influence how helicopters and mountain guides and support teams can work.

Snowfall& Weather, avalanche risk and mountain conditions is therefore a crucial element of Himalayan mountaineering information for those who are involved in such mountaineering activities.

Himlung Himal Avalanche | What We Know So Far

Based on the latest report from The Himalayan Times and information from the NNMGA, the key confirmed facts are:

• An avalanche struck Himlung Himal Base Camp in Manang on Sunday, September 27, 2026.
• The incident occurred amid heavy snowfall and continuous rainfall.
• The initial number of people reported missing was 10.
• The NNMGA later reported that 16 people were missing, including 14 kitchen staff and two climbing guides.
• The two climbing guides were later confirmed dead.
• Four bodies had been recovered by September 28.
• The recovered individuals were identified as Chhebi Bhote, Pasang Bhote, Birendra Gurung and Ghan Shyam Rai.
• An eight-member IFMGA-certified guide team led by Mingma G. Sherpa was conducting the search.
• Rescue teams reached the base camp by helicopter.
• Search operations remained dependent on weather and mountain conditions.
• The NNMGA said the search would continue.

Current Situation at Himlung Himal

Four cases of fatalities have been confirmed in the Himlung Himal avalanche so far and the search is ongoing at the bottom of the mountain's base camp in Manang. The avalanche occurred at a time of intense snowy weather conditions with heavy snowfall and persistent rain, making it challenging for both the expedition groups and rescuers.

The accident occurred when Nepalis, who were working at the Himalayan Base Camp before the arrival of foreign climbers, were involved. Police and fire officials have since been deployed at the scene by helicopter and are continuing to patrol the impacted area in accordance with the weather.

This confirmed information might still change as the search continues. The known facts so far are four people who have recovered and identified, the avalanche was linked to heavy snow and rain and mountain guides are still searching for those missing.