Five Russian Climbers Die in Fall on World’s 7th Highest Peak

FILE -The Dhaulagiri Range, on the left and the Annapurna Range, on the right of the central Himalayas is seen as trekkers view the sweeping sunrise from Poon Hill, above the village of Ghorepani, in central Nepal, Oct. 24, 2014. (AP Photo/Malcolm Foster, File)
FILE -The Dhaulagiri Range, on the left and the Annapurna Range, on the right of the central Himalayas is seen as trekkers view the sweeping sunrise from Poon Hill, above the village of Ghorepani, in central Nepal, Oct. 24, 2014. (AP Photo/Malcolm Foster, File)
TT

Five Russian Climbers Die in Fall on World’s 7th Highest Peak

FILE -The Dhaulagiri Range, on the left and the Annapurna Range, on the right of the central Himalayas is seen as trekkers view the sweeping sunrise from Poon Hill, above the village of Ghorepani, in central Nepal, Oct. 24, 2014. (AP Photo/Malcolm Foster, File)
FILE -The Dhaulagiri Range, on the left and the Annapurna Range, on the right of the central Himalayas is seen as trekkers view the sweeping sunrise from Poon Hill, above the village of Ghorepani, in central Nepal, Oct. 24, 2014. (AP Photo/Malcolm Foster, File)

Five Russian mountaineers who appeared to have slipped and fallen on the world’s seventh highest peak have been killed, an expedition organizer in Nepal said Tuesday.
The Russian climbers were climbing 8,167-meters high on Mount Dhaulagiri during Nepal's autumn climbing season.
These climbers had been reported missing since Sunday and a rescue helicopter spotted their bodies on Tuesday, said Pemba Jangbu Sherpa of the Kathmandu-based I AM Trekking and Expeditions.
It was still undecided if or when and how to bring the bodies down from the mountain, which would require extensive planning, manpower and equipment, The Associated Press reported.
Among them, two of the climbers had actually reached the summit. The remaining had returned without reaching the top. Radio contact was lost between them and the team members at the base camp since then.
The autumn climbing season, which is not as popular as the spring season, began last month. Mountains are less crowded and the permit fees are also lower.



Out-of-Control Australia Bushfire Will Burn for Days, Officials Say

 22 December 2024, Australia, Halls Gap: A general view of a smokey Lake Bellfield at Halls Gap. Immediate evacuation orders are in place for towns across Victoria as out-of-control blazes and sweltering temperatures begin Australia's bushfire season. Photo: James Ross/AAP/dpa
22 December 2024, Australia, Halls Gap: A general view of a smokey Lake Bellfield at Halls Gap. Immediate evacuation orders are in place for towns across Victoria as out-of-control blazes and sweltering temperatures begin Australia's bushfire season. Photo: James Ross/AAP/dpa
TT

Out-of-Control Australia Bushfire Will Burn for Days, Officials Say

 22 December 2024, Australia, Halls Gap: A general view of a smokey Lake Bellfield at Halls Gap. Immediate evacuation orders are in place for towns across Victoria as out-of-control blazes and sweltering temperatures begin Australia's bushfire season. Photo: James Ross/AAP/dpa
22 December 2024, Australia, Halls Gap: A general view of a smokey Lake Bellfield at Halls Gap. Immediate evacuation orders are in place for towns across Victoria as out-of-control blazes and sweltering temperatures begin Australia's bushfire season. Photo: James Ross/AAP/dpa

An uncontained bushfire raging in Australia's Victoria state that has prompted an evacuation order for hundreds of residents will burn for several days, officials said on Sunday.

The order to leave immediately, set at the highest danger rating, remained in place for the fire in and around Grampians National Park, about 241 km (149 miles) west of state capital Melbourne, Victoria's emergency services agency said on its website.

"There's a lot of unburnt fuel in the Grampians still, so it's quite a challenge for the days ahead", Country Fire Authority deputy chief officer Garry Cook told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, referring to the fire that now covered 34,000 hectares (84,000 acres) of bush.

The blaze, sparked on Tuesday by lightning, prompted authorities on Saturday to urge residents of several rural towns such as Halls Gap, population 495, to evacuate.

Hundreds of firefighters have battled the bushfire, using more than 100 tankers and 25 aircraft, ABC reported on Saturday.

Authorities have warned of a high-risk bushfire season this Australian summer after several quiet seasons. The 2019-2020 "Black Summer" fires destroyed an area the size of Türkiye and killed 33 people.