2016 Photo Contest, Spot News, 2nd prize

Avalanche

Photographer

Roberto Schmidt

25 April, 2015

A roaring wall of rock, snow and debris slams down on the Everest Base Camp.

A massive avalanche, triggered by the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on 25 April, descended on the southern Everest Base Camp, killing over 20 people and injuring scores more. Other climbers were stranded at camps further up the mountain, having lost secure descent routes. Strong aftershocks, bad weather, and inaccessibility of terrain hampered rescue efforts, while survivors feared further avalanches. The first rescue helicopters arrived some 18 hours after the avalanche.

About the photographer

Roberto Schmidt

Roberto Schmidt is a Colombian/German photographer based in New Delhi, India, where he is the chief photographer for South Asia for Agence France-Presse (AFP).   Born in Bogo...

Technical information

Camera
Nikon D4S

This image is collected in