A Canadian trekker who survived a deadly avalanche in Nepal has been describing the ‘nightmare’ of being buried waist-high in thick, heavy snow.
Sonia Leveque from Quebec said she and her trekking companions were lucky to be alive after the heavy avalanche hit without warning and swept away people within seconds.
This was one of a number of avalanches to hit the slopes of the popular Annapura pass trekking region which was filled with dozens of hikers.
Search and rescue teams have confirmed 27 dead so far with the toll likely to rise.
They estimate at least another 70 hikers are presumed missing.
A least four other Canadians have died according to earlier reports but not yet formally identified.
Speaking to RDI, Radio-Canada News Network, Leveque said: "It happened extremely quickly — within seconds, we were separated, and we fought for survival and we were lucky."
"Three people in our group were swept away and we tried to find them but there was about 20 meters of snow accumulated at the bottom of the avalanche," she added.
"Nobody in the group wanted to die."
A member of her trekking party lost his wife in the avalanche and Leveque said it was vital to stick together and offer support.
"We were supposed to be in the mountains until mid-November," Leveque said.
"Maybe we’ll forgo the snow-covered ones but not the others," she added when asked if she would continue trekking in the area.
