Nepalese teams Sunday rescued 34 more trekkers and guides stranded in the Himalayas since a snowstorm struck five days ago at the height of the hiking season but also found 12 more bodies, officials said. Rescuers using helicopters found the bodies buried in the highly popular Annapurna Circuit trekking route hit by the storm, with the total number of those confirmed or feared dead put at 40. "Four helicopters were sent out today to the affected areas in Mustang, Manang and Dolpa. We have rescued 34 since morning," said police official Pradeep Bhattarai.
They include 17 Nepalese, 10 Germans, five Swedes and two Australians, Bhattarai told AFP, without giving details of their injuries or condition. Rescuers pressed on with their search for bodies that they have seen from the air but have so far been unable to retrieve, said the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal, an industry group.
Three bodies were found early Sunday and another nine - all Nepalese support staff for trekkers - late in the day on different sections of the circuit, the association's Ramesh Dhamala told AFP. Searchers were taking advantage of good weather but efforts were being hampered by the fact that snow was turning to ice, making it difficult to free trapped bodies.
"We are scanning areas at higher altitude today, co-ordinating with local officials to identify areas where remaining trekkers might be found," said Dhamala.
Searches would resume on Monday to retrieve more bodies along with any more survivors, he said. Nepal has pledged to set up a weather warning system after the snowstorm caught trekkers unaware as they heading to an exposed high mountain pass on the circuit.
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