Nepalese government defends snowstorm rescue operation
Kathmandu, Oct 22 (ANI): Nepal's Home Ministry Secretary, Surya Silwal, defended the government's actions after it came under fire for its handling of the search and rescue operation for hundreds of trekkers who were caught in a Himalayan storm last week. Nepal has been criticized for failing to issue timely weather warnings, but Silwal said the storm, which brought unseasonable snow and avalanches, came about suddenly. The extreme weather was triggered by the tail end of a cyclone which hit neighbouring India last weekend. He said any country would have handled the incident similarly and denied reports that the government had terminated trekking permits.
