Nepal: Trekkers go missing after avalanche hits Annapurna Circuit

Several Chinese and South Korean trekkers went missing in Nepal's Annapurna trekking route after a part of the circuit was hit by an avalanche. While talking to an international media outlet, Deputy Inspector General of the Gandaki Province, Binod Sharma Ghimire said that the missing trekkers included four South Korean citizens and a Chinese citizen who was accompanied by a local porter.

According to reports, the Annapurna circuit trekking route was hit by an avalanche on January 17 after the area received heavy snowfall. Ghimire said that a search and rescue operations had already begun but the continuous downpour had hampered their efforts to gather any kind of information about the missing foreigners.

Government of Nepal to set up new rules for trekkers

After the death of nine climbers in 2019, the Government of Nepal announced that they will be setting up new rules that would require climbers to disclose there full medical history. The rules if approved will come into effect only from the next climbing season i.e. the spring season (March-May). The death of nine climbers on Everest was the highest ever recorded in the last four years. According to the director at the tourism department, Mira Acharya, the cause of deaths was health issues, prompting the Nepal government to announce strict measures to ensure the safety of climbers.

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Climbers would have to provide proof of insurance if they wish to climb mountains in Nepal, including the Mt Everest. The insurance will also partially cover the retrieval of the climber's bodies in the case of death. The cost of retrieving a body above the death zone of 8,000 meters is estimated to be around $200,000 while the cost of the rescue below the death zone is $20,000-$60,000. Before the announcement of the new rules, only people below the age of 16 and people with serious diseases and criminal records were barred from scaling Mt. Everest as well as other mountains.

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