Gorkha avalanche toll climbs to 11 as rescuers continue search for missing climbers

The death toll in the avalanche in Gorkha district climbed to 11 Monday morning.

Rescuers pictured at the avalanche site at the Mt Malaslu base camp in Gorkha district on Sunday, 23 Sept 2012.

Rescue operation has resumed near two and three number base camps of Manaslu Mountain in Samagaun VDC- 4 of Gorkha district since morning where climbers were buried in the avalanche while they were having breakfast Sunday morning.

The rescue operation that was aborted after 3pm yesterday due to bad weather condition resumed this morning.

18 persons have been receiving treatment after they were rescued from the site while some are still missing.

The identities of nine deceased have been established so far. Among the dead are French nationals Ludo Challeat, Fabrice Priez, Cathrine Ricard and Philippe Bos, Canadian citizen Domique Ouimet, Spanish citizens Marti Gasull and Cristine Mittermeyer, Italian citizen Alberto Magliano and Nepali citizen Dawa Sherpa, police said.

There have been difficulties in rescue operation due to unfavourable weather condition as the site is located at an altitude of some 7,000 meters and is around 100 km away from the district headquarters, Gorkha police chief DSP Basanta Bahadur Kunwar informed Nepalnews.

Three helicopters--two belonging to Simrik Air and another belonging to Fishtail Air have been conducting rescue operation since Sunday. nepalnews.com