An avalanche ripped through a camp in Nepal on Monday, killing five foreign climbers and two Nepalese guides, officials said.
Five foreigners were injured at the base camp on Yalung Ri mountain, located at an altitude of 5,000 meters. Their nationalities and identities have not been disclosed.
“The Department of State has no higher priority than the safety and security of American citizens,” the spokesperson said. “We are closely monitoring the situation and stand ready to provide consular assistance.”
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Mount Everest is shown in Nepal. On Monday, seven people died at the base camp on Mount Yalung Ri, also in Nepal. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images)
Rescue teams reached the site on foot. A rescue helicopter attempted to reach the location but bad weather forced it to turn back. Nepal Armed Police spokesman Shailendra Thapa said it would try again at dawn on Tuesday.
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Mount Yalung Ri is a peak of 18,370 feet. It is considered suitable for beginners with no previous experience of climbing high mountains.
Nepal is home to eight of the fourteen highest mountains in the world, including Mount Everest.
Earlier this month, a South Korean climber died after being caught in a powerful storm while attempting to scale a Himalayan peak just south of Mount Everest.
Villagers climb the mountain during rescue efforts to reach hundreds of hikers trapped by heavy snow at tourist campsites on a slope of Mount Everest. (Lingsuiye via AP)
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In the autumn months, climbers often climb smaller peaks before the rainy season and winter months.
