Search teams in Nepal recovered eight further bodies at the base camp of Mount Himlung on Thursday, taking the overall death toll to 15 after an avalanche struck during severe weather on Sunday.
The Nepal National Mountain Guide Association, which is leading the search, said rescuers dug through snow to locate eight bodies inside tents at the base camp, where one person remains missing.
“Due to continuing mountain hazards, recovery efforts have been temporarily concluded,” the association said. “Further efforts may be possible when conditions allow.”
Experienced mountain guides from the association took advantage of good weather and worked through the week to dig through the snow that covered the base camp.
Rescuers located 10 other climbers who were part of the group on Mount Himlung, a 7,126-meter (23,380-foot) peak in north-central Nepal, which is home to eight of the 14 tallest mountain peaks in the world including Mount Everest.
The avalanche is considered one of the worst disasters in Nepal mountaineering history.
Every year hundreds of foreign climbers come to Nepal to attempt climb the highest mountain peaks. Many of them have lost their lives trying to reach the summits in harsh weather conditions.
All those killed or missing this week were Nepali nationals preparing for foreign clients to arrive for the Autumn climbing season that began this month.
Nepal is still recovering from devastating flooding in August that swept away several villages, leaving more than 1,400 people dead and nearly 6,000 missing.
At least 30 people have been killed in a fresh wave of heavy rain and landslides in the country over the past week, the national disaster management authority said.
The latest landslides reportedly damaged roads, bridges, and homes, leaving communities cut off and forcing people into emergency shelters.
The weather conditions are also having a major impact on the Annapurna Circuit, one of Nepal’s key trekking routes. Hundreds of trekkers have had to abandon their journeys, with many airlifted by helicopter from Manang and Mustang after roads and bridges were damaged, according to media reports.
Trekkers who attempted to leave overland described having to cross multiple landslide sites, damaged trails and flooded areas. Some took three-four days to reach safety, while others spent nights stranded in forests.
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