Search for trekkers in Nepal to be called off

Small avalanches hampered the search for Nepali porters and guides missing for six days after a devastating Himalayan storm, officials said today.

"Today is the last day of the search and rescue operation," said Keshav Pandey of the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal.

"After this we can only hope that those who are missing will establish contact with us or their families.

"We don't think that any tourist is missing now. I am getting reports that some local porters and tour guides who were on the trek have not been traced so far."

The search for trekkers who were caught up in avalanches and blizzards in Nepal is to be called off, local authorities have said.

Rescue workers said they believed all trekkers and guides on the affected routes had been helped and that no one else was stranded.

At least 38 people died during the disaster.

Yadav Koirala of Nepal's disaster management division said: "We believe that all the trekkers and guides have been helped and as far as we know there are no more people stranded on the route."

Another 34 trekkers and guides stranded in the Himalayas were rescued by helicopter today, Nepalese officials said.

Rescuers also found three more bodies on the Annapurna Circuit route that was hit by blizzards and avalanches last week, taking the death toll to 40.

As well as 17 Nepalese, those rescued included 10 Germans, five Swedes and two Australians, police said.

A total of 483 trekkers, guides and others have been rescued since Wednesday, including 292 foreigners. About 175 of those rescued are suffering injuries such as frostbite.

Efforts to recover bodies seen from the air also continued, but they were hampered by snow turning to ice.

Rescue operations in the Himalayas, where hundreds of trekkers were caught in blizzards and avalanches, have been scaled back as most of those stranded have now been picked up.

At least 38 tourists and Nepalese died, but it is feared that the final toll could be considerably higher when more bodies are recovered from the snow.

About 40 people remain unaccounted for and the families of several British trekkers are still awaiting news of their relatives.

The Foreign Office said it was working with authorities in Nepal to account for every Briton believed to be in the area, but a spokeswoman said it was not aware of any British casualties.

The upper section of the popular Annapurna circuit, where the hikers were caught, was closed on Sunday.

Thousands of trekkers flock to the area in October, when conditions are usually ideal, but the tail end of a cyclone brought unseasonal weather to the Himalayas last week.

Several families of British trekkers in Nepal are still awaiting news of their relatives following the country's "worst ever" hiking disaster.

The Foreign Office confirmed it is working with local authorities in Nepal to account for every Briton believed to be in the affected area.

But a spokeswoman said they are not aware of any British casualties.

An unofficial list online names a number of Britons who are still unaccounted for, but also details some who have been deemed safe after making contact with their families.

More: British policeman describes escape from deadly snowstorm in Nepal

The search is continuing for survivors of Nepal's worst-ever hiking disaster.

At least 39 people are known to have died following blizzards and avalanches in the Himalayas.

Many trekkers and their guides still remain unaccounted for -- and it's feared more bodies could be buried under the snow.

ITV News Reporter Rebecca Barry has the latest

More: British policeman describes escape from deadly snowstorm in Nepal

The death toll in a blizzard that engulfed trekkers on Nepal's popular Annapurna trail in the Himalayas has risen to 39, police and army sources said.

"We have spotted nine new bodies today," said Govinda Pathak, police head in the district of Mustang. "We could not retrieve them because of bad weather conditions and snowfall. I can confirm that the toll is 39 now."

A rescue helicopter has spotted nine more bodies on a trekking trail in northern Nepal, bringing the death toll to 38 from a series of snow storms and avalanches.

The bodies were seen from the air in Dolpa district, but the steep terrain made it impossible for the helicopter to land, according to Yadav Koirala from Katmandu's Disaster Management Division.

Mr Koirala said the helicopter picked up three survivors and rescuers on foot would be sent to the area to retrieve the bodies.

Three British trekkers caught in a deadly blizzard in Nepal's Himalayan mountains are now thought to be safe but the whereabouts of three others is still unknown.

Duncan Hedges, Katie Francis, and Lizi Hamer were reported missing after a blizzard caused avalanches which killed at least 30 people.

A friend of Ms Hamer posted a message on Facebook confirming she was safe: "Lizi says they missed the storm and are going to be back next week. They're out of reach due to poor signal".

The Foreign Office says it has been contacted by concerned families who've not heard from their relatives in days - but has no information of any British casualties.

The number of people killed in a blizzard in an area of the Himalayan mountains popular with trekkers has risen to 30 with up to 65 people including 35 tourists reportedly still missing.

Nepali troops are searching rugged snow-covered Himalayan terrain in an effort to find any remaining survivors of the blizzard which has led to one of the country's worst mountain disasters.

Twelve helicopters have dropped searchers in otherwise inaccessible spots, while soldiers fanned out in different directions.

Unseasonal weather in peak trekking season unleashed avalanches in the area and many hikers were caught unprepared and unawares by the sudden change.