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US Mountaineer, Local Guide Dead after Avalanches Hit Tibetan Mountain

Tourists walk by a woman wearing Tibetan costume posing for a photo at the thousand-household Tibetan village, one of the tourism spots in Litang county, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern China's Sichuan province, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Tourists walk by a woman wearing Tibetan costume posing for a photo at the thousand-household Tibetan village, one of the tourism spots in Litang county, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern China's Sichuan province, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
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US Mountaineer, Local Guide Dead after Avalanches Hit Tibetan Mountain

Tourists walk by a woman wearing Tibetan costume posing for a photo at the thousand-household Tibetan village, one of the tourism spots in Litang county, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern China's Sichuan province, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Tourists walk by a woman wearing Tibetan costume posing for a photo at the thousand-household Tibetan village, one of the tourism spots in Litang county, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern China's Sichuan province, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

American mountaineer Anna Gutu and a Nepalese guide Mingmar Sherpa were confirmed Sunday dead after avalanches struck the slopes of a Tibetan mountain, while two others remained missing, according to Chinese media reports.
The avalanches struck Tibet’s Mount Shishapangma on Saturday afternoon at 7,600 (24,934 ft) and 8,000 meters (26,246 ft) in altitude, according to state-owned Xinhua News Agency.
Two others, American climber Gina Marie Rzucidlo and a Nepalese mountain guide Tenjen Sherpa went missing, the news agency said.
The avalanches also seriously injured Nepalese mountain guide Karma Geljen Sherpa, who was escorted down the mountain by rescuers and is currently in stable condition.
A total of 52 climbers from various countries including the US, Britain, Japan, and Italy were attempting to summit the mountain when the avalanches hit, Xinhua said.
Climbing activities have since been suspended due to snow conditions.
Shishapangma is the 14th-highest mountain in the world, at over 8,027 meters (26,335 ft) above sea level.

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Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano Erupts, Spewing Columns of Lava

In this photo provided by the US Geological Survey, an eruption takes place on the summit of the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (N. Deligne/US Geological Survey via AP)
In this photo provided by the US Geological Survey, an eruption takes place on the summit of the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (N. Deligne/US Geological Survey via AP)
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Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano Erupts, Spewing Columns of Lava

In this photo provided by the US Geological Survey, an eruption takes place on the summit of the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (N. Deligne/US Geological Survey via AP)
In this photo provided by the US Geological Survey, an eruption takes place on the summit of the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. (N. Deligne/US Geological Survey via AP)

One of the world's most active volcanoes sprang into life again Monday, spewing columns of lava 80 meters (260 feet) above Hawaii, US vulcanologists said.

Images showed enormous fissures in the caldera of Kilauea, on Hawaii's Big Island, spraying jets of molten rock into the air.

The USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the eruption began just after 2:00 am local time (1200 GMT) in the southwestern section of the caldera.

"At 4:30 am, lava fountains were observed with heights up to 80 meters (262 feet)," the agency said.

"Molten material, including lava bombs, is being ejected from the vents on the caldera floor up onto the west caldera rim."

The eruption was also sending matter much higher into the atmosphere.

"The plume of volcanic gas and fine volcanic particles is reaching elevations of 6,000-8,000 feet above sea level... and winds are transporting it to the southwest."

"The eruption is occurring within a closed area" of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, the observatory said, adding that lava flows "are currently confined to Halema'uma'u and the eastern part of Kilauea caldera."

However, it warned that sulphur dioxide emanating from the fissure would react with other gases in the atmosphere.

So-called vog -- volcanic smog -- can affect people and animals, as well as crops.

Kilauea has been very active since 1983 and erupts relatively regularly, including most recently in September.

It is one of six active volcanoes located in the Hawaiian Islands, which also include Mauna Loa, the largest volcano in the world.

Kilauea is much smaller than neighboring Mauna Loa, but is far more active and regularly wows helicopter-riding tourists who come to see its red-hot shows.