Tonight proved to be rather eventful as we were all sitting around slightly bored just before dinner. As we waited for dinner to be served, an odd sensation came over the crowd in the main room as the ground began to slide side-to-side. The moving of the earth was what most would call and earthquake, and the grumbling of avalanches that were triggered added to the abnormal event.
It turns out that the quake was a magnitude 6.8 on the richter scale, with the epicenter near Sikkim, India. Though the quake was felt here in Lobuche, only 2 buildings in the nearby town of Lukla were damaged (as far as we know with our limited communication). Everyone here on the expedition is safe and sound, currently playing cards and drinking hot chocolate before turning in for the night.
Cheers!
James & Kate
Hola!
Todos estamos bien. Buenas noches!
Actually the epicenter was not in Sikkim, India. The epicenter was in Taplejung, Nepal.
So, Please correct it.
Hi we are booked on the EBC trek on 1st October 2011. Can someone please advise me if conditions are conducive to go ahead with this trek? Or have systems collapsed? Will be more than obliged to hear from you. Saad
cell +919886100375
you may write to me on saadjung@gmail.com
Dear Saad,
There is some infrastructure damaged – a major bridge went out between Lukla and Namche Bazaar – but you can get around it by adding another 4-5 hours to your trek. The main problem with an earthquake this size, though, is that it destabilizes. Avalanche fields, crevasses, hanging glaciers – all could be much less stable. I wouldn’t think twice about trekking in the khumbu itself, but I wouldn’t climb a major mountain (such as Everest, Makalu, Mera, or Island Peak) for at least a month or two, in order to give things time to settle. That said, we met a group of brothers going up Everest next week, despite the quake – it’s a risk no matter when you do it.
- Daniel
hey daniel
we are not mountain climbers. . just middle aged friends trekking up to kala pathar.
Please do let me know about this bridge that has come down between Lukla and Namche. Where is the enw route from? Is it a killer?
Warm regards and many thanks
Saad
my son has gone for the ebc trek. on 19 he was at Phadking saying things are ok. he and his friends left for namche bazar on 20th. are trekkers still going up to the camp. pl reply