Nepal government to inspect Mt Everest avalanche site

Five days after one of the deadliest avalanches hit Nepal's mountaineering area, the country's government Wednesday ordered inspection of the disaster site at the very earliest, officials said.

The government's latest move follows an announcement by ethnic Sherpas that they would boycott this spring's expeditions following the avalanche on the slopes that killed 13 Sherpas, Xinhua reported.

The reluctance of the Sherpas, many of whom work as guides hired for mountaineering expeditions in the Himalayas, to participate in the mountaineering activities means the Himalayan nation could lose more than $3.5 million to be collected by way of royalty from the mountaineers this climbing season.

"We are visiting the accident site to gather first-hand information about the site and to decide if anything can be done by the state," Madhusudan Burlakoti, a joint secretary in Nepal's tourism ministry, told Xinhua over phone.

He said the visit to the Everest base camp, which will be organised by the tourism ministry and in which several professional organisations would join in, is meant to inspect the situation at the accident site, console the family members of the deceased and gain first-hand information about the status of other Sherpa guides and mountaineers in the area.

"The visit, to be initiated within a couple of days, will help us devise some other plans, if necessary," added Burlakoti. "On top of everything, the visit will help us figure out if anything necessary should be done to ensure the full safety of the climbers and other technical staff."

An avalanche hit the Khubuche area near Camp 1 of Mount Everest early Friday morning, killing 13 Sherpas who were making technical preparations for this year's mountaineering season in the area. Three other missing Sherpas have not yet been traced.

Even though the Nepal government Tuesday announced a relief package which would provide $15,789 as insurance to the family of each of the deceased, the mountaineering support staff and guides are still divided over whether to resume the halted expeditions.

"Most of the stakeholders who are at the base camp might not have known about the relief package. We will inform them about the incentives and we will give them a message that the government is with them at this time of difficulties," Mohan Krishna Sapkota, spokesperson at the tourism ministry, said.

Local media reported that scores of Sherpa guides and porters at the base camp had begun to descend from the area.