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18 climbers missing after Nepal avalanche
Indo-Asian News Service

Kathmandu, Oct 23 (IANS) At least 18 climbers, including seven French nationals, went missing in northern Nepal after an avalanche.

The team was on an expedition to climb the 6,981-metre Kanguru peak when the avalanche struck cutting them off.

While four Nepali porters were rescued by a helicopter Sunday morning, the French climbers and the rest of their Nepali guides and porters are still out of contact.

The mountain lies in remote northern Manang district that has seen heavy rainfall in the last few days as pre-winter rains lashed parts of Nepal.

The Himalayan Rescue Association, an NGO helping in rescue operations, told the media in Pokhara city, west of Kathmandu, that they had not yet been able to contact the missing climbers.

The inclement weather and snowfall was hampering the rescue operation, media reports said.

The Kantipur online news agency also said there were possibly other climbers too who were stranded in the Annapurna region. However, there was no immediate official confirmation.

The French embassy here remained tight-lipped about the incident.