Key Takeaways:
- Fifteen bodies have now been recovered from the Himlung Himal Base Camp avalanche site
- Eight bodies were recovered on Thursday alone during an intensive search and recovery operation
- One person remains missing following the Sept. 27 avalanche.
- Rescue teams say operations are continuing despite extremely difficult weather and terrain conditions
Four more bodies were recovered from the avalanche-hit Himlung Himal Base Camp in Manang on Thursday evening, bringing the number recovered during the day to eight and the total so far to 15. One person remains missing.
The Nepal National Mountain Guide Association (NNMGA) said the latest recovery was carried out by its Search and Rescue Team in coordination with Himalayan Holidays Nepal, Seven Summit Treks and local guides. Four bodies had been recovered earlier in the day, raising the toll to 11.
"The operation is continuing under extremely difficult and challenging conditions," said rescue team leader Pasang Kaji Sherpa, an IFMGA mountain guide.
The avalanche struck the base camp on September 27 after heavy snowfall and continuous rain. The association had earlier reported 16 people missing, including two climbing guides and 14 kitchen staff. Four bodies were recovered in the first two days and three more on Wednesday, before Thursday's recoveries.
A team of 11 rescuers, including experienced mountain guides and local rescue personnel, is involved in the operation. It is led by Pasang Kaji Sherpa and IFMGA mountain guide Bikram Karki.
The NNMGA said recovery efforts will continue as weather and safety conditions permit, with rescuer safety the top priority. It said further verified details, including information on the victims, will be released later.