At least a dozen Sherpa guides were killed in an avalanche that struck the slopes of Mount Everest, and emergency responders say that death toll may rise.
The avalanche hit just above a base camp, and a spokesman for Nepal’s tourism ministry said some of the campers are missing, BBC reported.
The guides who were killed had risen early in the morning to scale the slope and affix the ropes needed for the climbers in the camp, authorities said. That’s when the avalanche hit, killing at least 12 of them, The Associated Press reported.
Search-and-rescue teams are scouring for survivors, and three helicopters have been tasked to the region.
The avalanche also left several climbers with injuries, but their conditions aren’t yet known.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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