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Nepal adopting safety measures for spring Everest climbing season

Xinhua, March 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

Nepal is adopting special safety and communication measures this year for the safety of climbers of Mount Everest, the world's highest peak.

The move comes following the deaths of 16 Sherpa guides in 2014 in Everest snow disaster, which grabbed the international attention highlighting the risk and challenges of climbing the 8, 848 meters peak.

As the climbing season begins with spring, generally the end of March, the government of Nepal has been doing necessary homework for the set-up of a full time dedicated team in the base camp (5, 364 meters) of Everest.

"Local preparations are underway to assign a dedicated team in the base camp for the effective communication with the climbers," Tulasi Prasad Gautam, Director General of Department of Tourism told Xinhua exclusively on Monday.

Department of Tourism, Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal ( TAAN), Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) and Nepal Mountaineering Association (NAM) are holding a meeting by the end of this week to finalize the size of team.

As per the initial planning, the team will comprise the members from SPCC, Himalayan Rescue Association, Tourism Ministry, Liaison officer and security personnel.

The government is also paying a special attention for the use of more communication devices like smart phones and satellite phones to keep the climbers updated about the weather.

"Department of Hydrology and Meteorology are conducting a research for the possible arrangements to place weather update devices in the area," Keshav Bimoli, Spokesperson of Department of Tourism told Xinhua.

On February, the route to scale the Mount Everest, which has been in use since 1990, has already been revised considering the possible risks. As per the revised route, the climbers would not face the Khumbu Icefall, the site of the deadliest disaster of last year's avalanche.

The revised route is 3 hours longer than the previous one. Endi