An avalanche struck the base camp of Mt. Himlung in Nepal's Manang district on Sunday, 27 September 2026, leaving at least 14 Nepali expedition guides and support staff missing, according to trekking officials cited by local media. The workers had been at the base camp to fix ropes and set up tents ahead of the autumn climbing season.

What Expedition Companies Said

Barun Bhandari, general manager of one of the affected expedition companies, said more than a dozen of his staff were unaccounted for after the avalanche. 'We have been informed that more than half a dozen of our staff are missing following the avalanche, but we cannot confirm the figure as contact could not be established after we briefly spoke with one of our staff early Sunday morning,' Bhandari said. He added that more than 20 staff members from his company alone were part of the team deployed at the base camp. A second expedition company also confirmed that some of its staff were affected, though it did not disclose specific numbers.

Rescue Operations Underway

Chief District Officer of Manang district, Mukti Prasad Khanal, said the exact number of missing persons could not yet be confirmed, but acknowledged the gravity of the situation. 'Rescue helicopters have been sent to the area where the avalanche occurred,' Khanal said. Difficult terrain and disrupted communications have reportedly hampered efforts to establish a clear headcount.

Weather Warnings Preceded the Incident

Notably, the District Administration Office, Manang, had already prohibited trekking in several high-altitude areas from 25 to 27 September, citing forecasts of heavy to very heavy rainfall and snowfall across the upper Himalayan zones. The restriction followed a decision by the District Security Committee, which flagged potential risk to human life from adverse weather. The avalanche occurred during the final day of that ban window, raising questions about whether the pre-season rope-fixing operations should have been suspended.

Nepal's Compounding Disaster Season

This incident comes just a month after a catastrophic flooding disaster near the Nepal-China border, triggered by a glacier collapse and landslide in the Bhotekoshi region, which reportedly killed more than 1,400 people and left more than 5,000 missing. Nepal has since been urging tourists to visit, emphasising that other parts of the country remain safe. The country has also been experiencing incessant rainfall across several regions since 24 September, with river levels rising sharply and authorities advising residents along river corridors to move to higher ground.

Tourism and Safety at Stake

Tourism is one of Nepal's primary sources of foreign exchange, and the autumn climbing season — which draws expeditions to peaks including Himlung Himal in the Nar Phu region of Manang — is among the most commercially significant periods of the year. Back-to-back natural disasters risk denting climber confidence at a critical juncture. Officials and expedition operators are expected to issue further updates as rescue helicopters reach the site and communications improve.