Trekkers airlifted from Nepal's mountains as fresh landslides kill about 30

Nepal has been hit by another deadly wave of landslides and heavy rain, with roughly 30 people killed since late last week, according to the national disaster management authority. More than 1,900 families have been affected and over 240 homes damaged, while roads, buildings and bridges have been washed away in several areas.

The disaster has disrupted the country's trekking industry, a key part of its economy. Hundreds of hikers on the Annapurna Circuit, a route that normally takes up to three weeks, had to cut their trips short. Many were airlifted out of the Manang and Mustang districts by helicopter, while others made perilous three-to-four-day descents on foot, navigating collapsed roads and washed-out bridges.

British trekker Jake Stacy, 21, said he and his guide had to carve their own paths across steep, muddy mountain slopes above a river after being stranded by heavy snowfall. Australian trekker Andrew Graham described crossing more than 15 landslides and spending a night in the jungle after the village of Chame was evacuated; a landslide there partially blocked a river, creating a temporary lake that flooded homes and a key bridge.

Four bodies have been recovered and 12 people remain missing following an avalanche near Himlung Peak. Local trekking authorities are holding back about 700 tourists in Pokhara who are waiting to start the circuit, despite pressure from the industry to reopen the route. Trekking guides said the psychological toll of the crisis, coming so soon after August's floods that killed 1,400 people, has been as hard as the physical journey, while local residents face far greater losses than visitors, with many left homeless in leaking emergency tents.