KATHMANDU, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- Five climbers including four foreigners and a Nepali guide who were stranded on the Mera Peak in eastern Nepal due to bad weather and massive snowfalls were rescued on Thursday but a Nepali climber remains missing, said the Nepal Mountaineering Association.
"The climbers were stranded on the mountain while returning after reaching the peak. They were rescued on Tuesday and brought to the capital Kathmandu on a helicopter. They are receiving treatment at Kathmandu-based Grande Hospital," the association said in a press statement.
The Nepali climber with the expedition team is still missing on the 6,476m-high peak which lies close to Mt. Qomolangma, the world's tallest at 8848.86m, said the association which issues climbing permits for 27 Himalayan mountains ranging from 5,800m to 6,500m.
Shanta Bir Lama, president of the association, told Xinhua that the climbers were stranded on Tuesday night as weather conditions worsened and helicopters could not be mobilized for the rescue effort.
"Three climbers including a British national were staying in a cave at the height of 5,600 meters for the last three days, while the others were stranded in the base camp of the mountain," he said. "Due to bad weather, the rescue team mobilized on foot brought these three climbers out as helicopters could not be used for the search operation."
The search operation is continuing for the Nepali climber who had gone missing since Tuesday at the height of 5,600m, he added.
For the last few days, Nepal has been experiencing unseasonal rainfalls which triggered floods and landslides, mostly in the eastern and western parts of the country, and snowfalls on the mountains.
The landslides and floods have claimed 101 lives and left 41 others missing by Thursday, Nepal Police said in a statement. Enditem
