Nepal earthquake makes scaling Mt Everest a big challenge

London: Officials in Nepal have warned that scaling the Mount Everest this season was "almost impossible" because the routes had been damaged by the avalanches triggered by the massive earthquake that struck the Himalayan nation last month.

Officials of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee ( SPCC ) said that after examining the avalanche-hit areas of the mountain, "icefall doctors," who are expert rope and ladder-fixing Sherpas, had decided that further climbs would be "impossible," reported the BBC.

They warned that it will take time for the routes to be remade. The government however, has not made any official announcement and has left the final decision about scaling the Everest to individual climbers. Almost 357 climbers registered themselves for this climbing season.

Tulsi Prasad Gautam of the tourism department said that the government will not announce the closure officially because they had already given permits to the climbers. He added that small tremors were still being felt on Everest.

At least 19 people were killed in the avalanches that were triggered by the 7.8- magnitude earthquake that hit Nepal, killing more than 7,000 and injuring 10,000 others.

Sherpa porters said that most climbers had abandoned the Base Camp and their expeditions.