Nepal was hit by its strongest earthquake in 80 years yesterday (25th), with a magnitude of 7.9 and a depth of 11 kilometers. The epicenter was located 82 kilometers northwest of Kathmandu. The death toll has now reached nearly 2,000. The quake triggered an avalanche on Mount Everest, with 17 climbers' bodies recovered on the same day and 61 others injured. Nepalese officials estimate that there were at least 1,000 climbers on Everest at the time of the avalanche, including around 400 foreigners.
According to climber Carsten Lillelund Pedersen’s description on Facebook, the force of the avalanche threw people through the air, with many suffering from broken legs. Sherpa guides familiar with the terrain said many may have died instantly in their tents without having time to escape. Photos released by the Associated Press show the avalanche covering numerous climbers’ tents, and extensive search and rescue digging is urgently needed to determine the full extent of casualties. One Chinese female mountaineer reported that over 40 Chinese climbers were trapped, nearly all injured, with their camp completely destroyed by the avalanche and in urgent need of outside help.
Dan Fredinburg, head of the “Privacy and Security” team at global internet search giant Google, has been confirmed dead in the Mount Everest avalanche triggered by the powerful earthquake in Nepal. The 33-year-old, an avid mountaineer, had been regularly updating his social media accounts such as Twitter and Instagram with photos and progress from his climbs in Nepal before his death.