UPDATE 4/28/15 9:12AM MST:
As of this morning, the death toll in Nepal continued to rise, as search and rescue crews continue the search for survivors and uncover more bodies. An estimated 4,600 Nepalese have died and more than 9,000 have been injured. According to the United States Geological Survey, a series of aftershocks as large as 6.7 have hit Nepal since the initial quake. These have caused more destruction and set off fresh avalanches on Everest.
Climbers work to evacuate the injured. John Reiter/ CNN Photo
The death toll at Mt. Everest has risen to 17, with dozens injured, and an unknown amount of climbers unaccounted for. The initial earthquake set off a large avalanche that hit and partially buried parts of the Everest Base Camp. According to CNN, unhurt climbers began to dig out victims and create makeshift field hospitals to treat the injured. They worked in shifts throughout the night, waiting for the weather to clear Sunday morning. Helicopters started to evacuate seriously injured climbers from Base Camp Sunday morning, and by the afternoon most of the injured had been extracted.
An injured climber is loaded on a heli. John Reiter/CNN Photo
According to Jim Whittaker, the first American to climb Everest, a new route needs to be placed between Base Camp and Camp 1. This means setting fixed lines through the infamous Khumbu icefall, located at the head of the Khumbu glacier. The icefall is considered one of the most dangerous sections of the climb even during normal circumstances, with crevasses, seracs, and ice towers collapsing constantly.
Romanian climber Alex Gavan tweeted that Argentine guide Willie Benegas has been helicoptered into Camp 1 with ropes, ice screws, and other materials to help the estimated 100 climbers trapped above the Khumbu icefall. Benegas might be one of the best people for this mission as he was the 2010 AMGA Outstanding Guide of the Year, has 11 succesful summits of Everest, and in 2011 won an award from the Argentine Olympic Committee for rescuing an abandoned climber on the mountain.
Already, stories of those who have perished have surfaced. One being Google executive Dan Fredinbury who died Saturday from a head injury. "We appreciate all of the love that has been sent our way thus far and know his soul and his spirit will live on in so many of us," his sister Megan wrote on Instagram. "All our love and thanks to those who shared this life with our favorite hilarious strong willed man. He was and is everything to us."
Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this tragedy and still trapped up on the mountain. If you are looking to help the relief efforts or donate CNN has created a page outlining a variety of ways to get involved.
UPDATE 4/25/15 9:44AM MST:
Official Statement from Alex Gavan's Facebook.
“There is a time for doing and a time for speaking. Now it is the former. Any statement at this moment cannot bring back those who died, nor help those who are still in urgent need. The guardian angels are now called helicopters, expected tomorrow at the first hour, weather permitting, as well as those caring for the wounded this night. All other words now would mean for me not paying respect to people's great sorrow and grief. This is the time for doing.”
Over 900 people have been killed and at 1,700 have been injured after a large 7.8 magnitude quake struck an area between the capital of Nepal, Kathmandu, and the city of Pokhara. The death toll continues to rise and many national monuments and landmarks including the famous Dharahara tower, which may have victims trapped inside, have been destroyed.
The Dharahara tower before and after the quake. AP Photo
The earthquake triggered a massive avalanche on Mt. Everest where a reported 17 climbers have perished with more injured, and an unknown amount unaccounted for. The avalanche struck between the Khumbu Icefall, a notoriously treacherous rugged area of collapsed ice and snow, and the base camp where most climbing expeditions are, said Ang Tshering of the Nepal Mountaineering Association.
Romanian climber Alex Gavan has been tweeting about the devastation from Everest base camp, he describes running for his life and the need for helicopters to save lives. Nepal and Kathmandu serve as a special place for us at TGR. Jeremy Jones used the capital city of Nepal as a start of his mission to snowboard in the Himalayas for his film Higher. We are thinking specifically with our friends who are still there. Our thoughts and prayers are with our friends still in the mountains.
BaronVonShred
April 25th, 2015
How many tragedies can this place endure?