October 15

In mid‑October 2014 — on and around October 15, 2014 — a sudden, violent snowstorm struck high‑altitude trekking routes in the Annapurna Conservation Area of north‑central Nepal. Hundreds of trekkers, guides, porters and villagers were caught on exposed trails and in small teahouses; by the time helicopters could fly and ground teams could reach the high valleys, at least 43 people had died from exposure and hypothermia and many more were injured. The event exposed gaps in weather communication, shelter capacity and rescue logistics that reshaped how trekking in the high Himalaya is managed. Read more