Nearly 40 mountain hikers were killed when major blizzards suddenly struck the Himalayas on Tuesday in what is said to be the worst climbing disaster in the country's history.
The storm was cased by a cyclone that passed over northern India last weekend, according to The Guardian. Some reports placed the death toll on Saturday at 39 but other reports say it's 43.
Helicopters were searching the snowy peaks around the mountain range's Annapurna Circuit in search of hikers that may be trapped under the snow, tourism officials told the BBC.
Rescuers were able to save over 300 people when the unseasonal snowstorm struck the key trekking route Thorung La Pass on Mount Annapurna, the 10th tallest peak in the world. But over 40 hikers are still missing, according to The Guardian.
Officials said their top priority was to find the missing hikers, who could be trapped as high as 19,000 feet in the air. Those missing are of Canadian, Indian, Nepalese, Polish and British nationalities.
"This will be the most rigorous combing and tracking exercise we have launched so far," Niranjan Shrestha, an army official heading the search effort, The Guardian reported.
The storm struck during the height of Nepal's mountain climbing season, which Nepal relies heavily on due to the profits. But the country is still financially struggling and rescue efforts are hindered by a lack of equipment and resources.
Experts told The Guardian that the current system works best for veteran hikers who tackle the highest peaks, like Mount Everest, but it fails those who are less experienced.
British police officer Paul Sheridan, who was on the mountain and survived the storm, told the newspaper that many hikers and staff were not prepared to deal with the harsh environment.
"There were biting winds and cold so severe it froze your eyelids. But there were people trying to protect their heads with plastic bags and without gloves...It was an accident waiting to happen."
