Advertisement

Survivor: Everest Base Camp Like Nuclear Blast

Concern is growing for dozens of climbers trapped on Mount Everest after an earthquake and subsequent aftershock in Nepal triggered a series of deadly avalanches.

The initial 7.9 magnitude quake, which has killed nearly 2,500 people in Nepal alone, claimed the lives of at least 18 climbers, making it the mountain's deadliest disaster to date.

Alex Gaven tweeted that large areas of the mountain's base camp look like they have been hit by a "nuclear blast," with "uncertainty high" among those waiting to descend to safety.

The fate of many climbers remains unknown, with tourism ministry officials estimating that at least 1,000 people, including some 400 foreigners, were at base camp or on the ascent to the peak as the earthquake struck.

It is not clear whether the 6.7 magnitude aftershock resulted in further casualties, however Captain Tim Bradshaw, who had been leading a British Army team up the northern side of the mountain, told Sky News it felt fairly "violent and aggressive".

"All we can hear is rocks cracking around us, but unfortunately we can't see them coming ... It's pretty eerie," he said.

It is feared that a large number of climbers, including Britons, may be trapped in Everest camps 1 and 2, above base camp, with routes back down badly damaged.

One climber posted on Facebook: "There are still hundreds of people stuck on the mountain in camp 1 and 2, and eventually they will run out of fuel and food, but until a new route through Khumbu Icefall has been established there is no practical way to get people down to base camp."

Among the stranded Britons is Daniel Mazur, a Summit Climb expedition leader from Bristol, who tweeted: "Aftershock at 1pm! Horrible here in camp one. Avalanches on three sides. Camp one a tiny island. We worry about icefall team below..Alive?"

Some relief has arrived, however, with the first plane carrying 15 badly injured climbers landing back in Kathmandu earlier this morning.

The heavily bandaged survivors, 12 Nepalese sherpas and climbers from China, Japan and South Korea, were pictured travelling through the city shortly after touching down.

One of those rescued, Mount Everest climbing team cook Bhim Bahadur Khatari said he was preparing food for the team when the earthquake hit.

"We all rushed out to the open and the next moment a huge wall of snow just piled on me," he told journalists.

"I managed to dig out of what could easily have been my grave. I wiggled and used my hands as claws to dig as much as I could. I was suffocating, I could not breathe. But I knew I had to survive.

"I dug a few more feet until I was out of the snow and could breathe. I looked around and saw the tents all torn, crushed and many people injured. I had lived, but lost many of my friends."

Among those confirmed dead so far is American Google executive Dan Fredinburg

The 33-year-old, who described himself as an adventurer, was hiking with three other Google employees when the avalanche struck on Saturday.

The other three climbers in the group are safe, the tech giant said.

Mr Fredinburg's sister, Megan, wrote on his Instagram page: "I regret to inform all who loved him that during the avalanche on Everest early this morning our Dan suffered from a major head injury and didn't make it.

"All our love and thanks to those who shared this life with our favourite hilarious strong willed man. He was and is everything to us."

US-based Madison Mountaineering said its base camp doctor, Marisa Eve Girawong, was also killed, as were two Nepali members of staff for New Zealand-based Adventure Consultants.

Friends and families of the missing have been using Facebook and Google’s post-disaster search tool, Person Finder, to appeal for information.

:: The Foreign Office has advised that any British Nationals in need of consular assistance call +44 (0) 207 008 0000 or text NEPAL to +447860010026.