The summit that started it all
The nation's mountaineering community celebrated the conquest of the world's highest mountain with a rally of climbers, guides and others who gathered for International Everest Day.
Yesterday's event marked the 72nd anniversary of the first summit climb of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953, by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay.
Nepal's Culture and Tourism Minister led the celebration in the capital, Kathmandu, that included a walk around the city and a gathering at the old palace.
'We are celebrating May 29 as the international Sagarmatha (Everest) day because the world needs to continue to recognise the achievement and contribution of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay,' said Ang Tshering, who runs Kathmandu-based Asian Trekking.
The event was not just a celebration for the mountaineering community but also a festival for Nepal and the world, said Tshering, who has helped hundreds of clients scale the Himalayan peaks.
Nepal contains eight of the highest peaks in the world and every year hundreds of foreign climbers fly to the country in South Asia to tackle the mountains.
The climbers hire thousands of people in Nepal to assist their climbs by carrying gear, cooking food and generally taking care of them as they spend weeks in the mountains.
Nepal's government collects money from the climbers through permit fees.
The end of May also marks the end of the popular spring mountaineering season, when climbers finish their adventures and retreat from the peaks before the monsoon season brings foul weather.
'This day is celebrated also to mark the end of the climbing season where we gather climbers and the community,' Jiban Ghimire of Shangri-La Nepal Trek said.
According to Nepal's Department of Mountaineering, 468 foreign climbers from 57 countries received permits to climb Everest by the end of May, along with a roughly equal number of Nepalese mountain guides.
Many were able to scale the peak, but officials were still working to verify how many reached the 8,849m summit. Climbers must report to the department with proof they reached the summit and cleared their garbage before they are issued the official certificate.
Famed Sherpa guide Kami Rita reached the Everest summit for the 31st time on Tuesday, breaking his own record for the most climbs to the top of the famed mountain. — AP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Express
3 hours ago
- Daily Express
Japan updates ‘megaquake' preparedness plan
Published on: Wednesday, July 02, 2025 Published on: Wed, Jul 02, 2025 By: AFP Text Size: A Japanese government panel raised the chance of a major earthquake in the Nankai Trough off Japan to 75-82% within the next 30 years. (AP pic) TOKYO: The Japanese government said that much more needs to be done to prepare for a possible 'megaquake' to reduce the feared death toll of up to 300,000 people. Quakes are extremely hard to predict, but in January a government panel marginally increased the probability of a major jolt in the Nankai Trough off Japan in the next 30 years to 75-82%. The government then released a new estimate in March saying that such a megaquake and subsequent tsunami could cause as many as 298,000 deaths and damages of up to US$2 trillion. In 2014 the Central Disaster Management Council issued a preparedness plan recommending a series of measures that, it was hoped, would reduce deaths by 80%. But the government has said that so far the steps taken would only cut the toll by 20%, Kyodo news agency reported, and an updated preparedness plan was issued on Tuesday. This recommended accelerated efforts including constructing embankments and evacuation buildings as well as more regular drills to improve public readiness. 'It is necessary for the nation, municipalities, companies and non-profits to come together and take measures in order to save as many lives as possible,' Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told a government meeting, local media reported. The Nankai Trough is an 800km undersea gully running parallel to Japan's Pacific coast where one tectonic plate is 'subducting' – slowly slipping – underneath another. Over the past 1,400 years, megaquakes in the Nankai Trough have occurred every 100 to 200 years. The last one was in 1946. The Japan Meteorological Association (JMA) last August issued its first advisory warning that the likelihood had risen but it was lifted again after a week. Comic prophesy Some foreign tourists have been holding off coming to Japan this summer by unfounded fears spurred on social media that a major quake is imminent. Causing particular concern is a manga comic reissued in 2021 which predicted a major disaster on July 5, 2025. Hong Kong-based Greater Bay Airlines reduced flights to Japan because 'demand has rapidly decreased', a local tourism official told AFP in May. The number of visitors to Japan from Hong Kong to Japan fell 11.2% in May year-on-year, according to the tourism office. Those from mainland China soared 44.8%, however, while arrivals from South Korea rose 11.8%. 'It is impossible with current science to predict earthquakes by specifying the location, time, and magnitude of an earthquake, and to say that an earthquake will or will not occur,' Ryoichi Nomura, head of the JMA, said in May. 'We ask the public to take certain steps so that you can cope with earthquakes no matter when they occur. But we also strongly urge the public not make irrational actions driven by anxiety.' * Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel and Telegram for breaking news alerts and key updates! * Do you have access to the Daily Express e-paper and online exclusive news? Check out subscription plans available. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express's Telegram channel. Daily Express Malaysia
The Star
8 hours ago
- The Star
Snake on a plane delays a flight in Australia
MELBOURNE (AP): An Australian domestic flight was delayed for two hours after a stowaway Snake was found in the plane's cargo hold, officials said on Wednesday (July 2). The snake was found on Tuesday (July 1) as passengers were boarding Virgin Australia Flight VA337 at Melbourne Airport bound for Brisbane, according to snake catcher Mark Pelley. The snake turned out to be a harmless 60-centimeter (2-foot) green tree snake. But Pelly said he thought it could be venomous when he approached it in the darkened hold. "It wasn't until after I caught the snake that I realised that it wasn't venomous. Until that point, it looked very dangerous to me," Pelley said. Most of the world's most venomous snakes are native to Australia. When Pelley entered the cargo hold, the snake was half-hidden behind a panel and could have disappeared even deeper into the plane. Pelley said he informed an aircraft engineer and airline staff that they would have to evacuate the aircraft if the snake were to disappear inside the plane. "I said to them if I don't get this in one shot, it's going to sneak through the panels and you're going to have to evacuate the plane because at that stage I did not know what kind of snake it was," Pelley said. "But thankfully, I got it on the first try and captured it," Pelley added. "If I didn't get it that first time, the engineers and I would be pulling apart a (Boeing) 737 looking for a snake still right now." Pelley said he had taken 30 minutes to drive to the airport and was then delayed by security before he could reach the airliner. An airline official said the flight was delayed around two hours. Because the snake is native to the Brisbane region, Pelley suspects it came aboard inside a passenger's luggage and escaped during the two-hour flight from Brisbane to Melbourne. For quarantine reasons, the snake can't be returned to the wild. The snake, which is a protected species, has been given to a Melbourne veterinarian to find a home with a licensed snake keeper.
The Star
3 days ago
- The Star
Wildfires threaten Southern Europe as temperatures soar past 40°C
ROME (AP): Major heat waves across Southern Europe have pushed temperatures above 40°C in countries including Italy, Spain and Greece, as local authorities issued fresh warnings against the risk of wildfires. Experts link the rising frequency and intensity of these heatwaves to climate change, warning that such extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common across Europe's southern region. Severe heat waves were recorded in Italy, Greece, Spain and Portugal before the weekend, with locals and tourists alike taking shelter from the sweltering conditions. Two-thirds of Portugal were on high alert n Sunday (June 29) for extreme heat and wildfires, with temperatures expected to top 42°C (107 F) in Lisbon. In Italy, a few regions – Lazio, Tuscany, Calabria, Puglia and Umbria – were planning to ban some outdoor work activities during the hottest hours of the day in response to the record-high temperatures. Italian trade unions pushed the government to expand such measures at a national level. On Sunday, the Italian Health Ministry placed 21 out of 27 monitored cities under its highest heat alert, including top holiday destinations like Rome, Milan and Naples. In Rome, tourists tried to seek shade near popular spots like the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain, using umbrellas and drinking from public water fountains to stay cool. Similar scenes were reported in Milan and Naples, where street vendors sold lemonade to tourists and residents to offer some refreshment from the heat. Greece was again on high wildfire alert because of extreme weather, with the first summer heat wave expected to continue throughout the weekend. A large wildfire broke out south of Athens on Thursday, forcing evacuations and road closures near the ancient Temple of Poseidon. Strong winds spread the flames, damaging homes and sending smoke across the sky. Greek authorities deployed 130 firefighters, 12 planes and 12 helicopters to battle the blaze, while police evacuated 40 people, with five areas under evacuation orders. In Spain, locals and tourists were desperately trying to keep cool this weekend, as the country sizzled in temperatures as high as 42°C in the southern city of Seville along with other locations in southern and central parts of the country. Southern regions of Spain recorded temperatures above seasonal averages, prompting health alerts and safety recommendations from authorities. The country's national meteorological service Aemet has said that June is set to break yet another record, becoming the hottest such month since records started. Experts warned that intense heat can affect daily life, especially for vulnerable populations such as the elderly and children. Local authorities advised against physical activity during the hottest hours of the day, and recommended drinking plenty of fluids. A Lancet Public Health study published in 2024 highlighted the increasing risk of heat-related deaths because of climate change. The study predicted that heat-related deaths could more than quadruple by mid-century under current climate policies. While more people currently die from cold than heat, the study stressed that rising temperatures will offset the benefits of milder winters, leading to a significant net increase in heat-related mortality. – AP
