Kathmandu: The Nepal government has decided to cancel Mount Everest expeditions this year as well after routes above the Base Camp were destroyed by the deadly avalanches triggered by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the Himalayan country on April 25.
At least 22 climbers, including high-altitude guides and helpers at Base Camp and the Khumbu Icefall, were killed on April 25, by the avalanches.
A number of climbers were also injured in the deadly avalanches that swept down the 8,848-metre world's highest peak.
The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), which has been entrusted with the job of preparing the climbing route on Everest, officially confirmed that setting up the route this season would be exceedingly risky, given the short window of time available to prepare the routes and also because the monsoon season is fast approaching.
After conducting a survey of the situation at the Everest Base Camp and the Khumbu Icefall, the Icefall Doctors' team and SPCC Chairperson Ang Dorjee Sherpa have advised the Tourism Ministry and concerned stakeholders not to take further risks by continuing work on the mountain.
The SPCC has also recommended that the government extend climbing permits for the 2015 Everest aspirants until 2016, or further into the future.
The climbing season was cancelled last year also after an avalanche on April 18 killed 16 high-altitude guides. The disaster forced the guides to boycott expeditions and launch strikes. Subsequently, the government had extended the validity of the permits to five years for foreigners.
“We have been informed that the SPCC will not be able to prepare the route this season, and it says that the climbing is not going to happen,” Tulsi Prasad Gautam, director general of the Department of Tourism, was quoted as saying.
“However, we have asked the SPCC to furnish a clarification, as it has unilaterally decided to issue a statement announcing that this season's climbing would be impossible.”
When asked if the royalty amount paid by the climbers would be refunded, Gautam said the government will study whether it would be better to refund their money or extend the climbing permit validity.
He said the government has earned Rs 375 million from Everest royalties this year. He also informed that around 340 foreigners and 18 Nepalis, including 118 people who were forced to abandon last year's expeditions, were issued permits this year.
The SPCC, which conducted a thorough assessment of the damage, said that any possible efforts to create routes through the Icefall would take a minimum of two weeks, even to create the route up to Camp II.
It added that all medical teams, including the Himalayan Rescue Association, have already left Base Camp for the season, and that it is not advisable to carry on with route-work without medical support for emergencies given the increased risk of aftershocks and an exceptionally unstable Icefall.
It said currently, there is a lack of adequate equipment and supplies needed to begin resetting the Icefall route immediately.
The SPCC Icefall Doctors are only responsible for setting the route until Camp II. The teams responsible for setting the routes above Camp II also do not have sufficient equipment and resources to do the job.
Further the SPCC said that a majority of the climbers have already called off their expeditions and many of the Icefall Doctors, as well as the local support staff in the remaining expedition teams, have suffered deaths in the family or injuries as well as earthquake-related damage to property.
At least 1,000 climbers, including about 400 foreigners, were at the Base Camp when the devastating earthquake triggered the avalanche on Mt Everest.
