Mixed Reports on Avalanche Damage in the Khumbu Icefall

UPDATE: The current status of the Icefall is unclear. As I say below, an eyewitness says that the Icefall is expected to be closed for 5 days. But follow-up reporting from Alan Arnette, says that one expedition leader said that people went up to Camp 1 today with no problem. It is so hard to sort through the details from all these different sources! 
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POSTED EARLIER: There was an avalanche yesterday in the Khumbu Icefall. A report from a climber in Base Camp (not on Peter's team) says a Sherpa broke his leg in the avalanche and was flown out by helicopter for treatment. He also said that it is anticipated to be 5 days before the Icefall Doctors will be able to repair the route which would mean that teams won't be doing rotations up to Camps 1+ until a new route is established.

From the video, since the Icefall is in full sun, I'm guessing that this means that it happened at a time when most teams avoid traveling through the Icefall because of the instability caused by warming snow in the sun. Just my conjecture.

The person who posted this shared a helicopter evacuation shortly after.

                                                                                                                Source: Sheroze Kashif

Not knowing for myself how significant this type of event is, I checked in with how people who understand that better than I do are covering it. This is from Alan Arnette: "The season is moving at a similar pace as previous seasons, even taking into account this delay due to the avalanche. Each year, something happens that throws a wrench into the well-planned schedules. In 2019 it was Cyclone Fani that shut the mountain down the first week of May."
(source Alan Arnette)


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