Nepalese officials and local volunteers in Langtang on Monday discovered the bodies of 100 trekkers and villagers buried in an avalanche caused by the April 25 earthquake, .
The mountain town, which is about 40 miles north of Kathmandu, was a popular destination for foreign trekkers, many of whom would stop at its many guesthouses. Following the earthquake, 鈥渆ntire hillsides sheared away,鈥 burying the village, the Guardian reports. The 100 bodies were recovered after an exhaustive search operation to locate some 600 trekkers and support staff missing in the area since the earthquake hit nine days ago.
鈥淟ocal volunteers and police personnel are digging through six-feet deep snow with shovels looking for more bodies,鈥 Gautam Rimal, assistant chief district officer for Langtang, told the Guardian.
Among the dead are at least seven foreigners, but only two have been identified, Rimal said. Officials say 120 more people could be buried beneath the snow. Rescue efforts were slow to reach the village due to bad weather.聽
The earthquake鈥檚 death toll is now upwards of 7,300 people. Including those found Monday, more than 400 people are reported dead in Langtang, and hundreds are still missing.