Two Kiwis missing in Nepal, as others make contact

Fears remain for two Kiwi hikers in Nepal, as other families were last night celebrating news of the survival of their loved ones in one of the world's most dangerous mountain ranges after deadly avalanches and blizzards killed dozens.

Brian and Jill Craig were understood to be in the Annapurna area of the Himalayas where their safety and location remained unclear following the deadly turn in conditions. 

Friends said they had not heard from the pair, but hoped they were safely en route to the Mt Everest base camp area.

Nepali troops are searching rugged snow-covered Himalayan terrain in their most intensive effort to find any remaining survivors of the blizzards that have also injured 175 in one of the country's worst mountain disasters.

More than 40 people are still missing after unseasonal weather in peak trekking season unleashed avalanches on the 240km route around  the world's 10th-tallest peak.

Last night the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Commonwealth Games hockey medallist Lisa Walton, 38, and her British wife Lizi Hamer, 31, were alive. 

Lisa Dillion, a friend said: ''They are both great athletes and we are sure they did not have enough time to get to the affected area, but I just want to hear from them.''

Auckland couple Shaliputri Singh and  Neil Stewart were listed on a hiking community website as having their whereabouts unknown before they made contact with Singh's tearful parents last night.

Another Kiwi, Perth-based Aucklander James Witters, has been in touch with his mother to say he has found safety.

He has declared himself unhurt and refuses to abandon his Himalayan mission, vowing to forge ahead with his lone trek through the stricken region.

After initially being reported missing, Witters managed to make a brief telephone call to his mother to report his safety.

Sarah Witters said she had ''feared the worst'' for her 30-year-old son after hearing about the avalanches.

''It was such a relief to hear his voice,'' she said. ''He said 'I can't talk for long at the moment I just want you to know I'm alright'.

''We were so pleased, we have had two days thinking the worst. I rang up my sister and she cried.''

From a region where communications are at the mercy of the elements and can be knocked out for days, Sarah Witters said the wait for news had caused her to dread her ''worst nightmare''.

''I'd been watching updates on my phone,'' she said. ''I thought this was my worst nightmare. But I was so glad when I knew he was safe. I know a lot of people aren't, and we're really lucky.

Witters said her son, who is based in Perth where he has spent recent months training for his walk through the Himalayas, liked to travel alone.

''He said he's planning to finish it, and there's parts of the track that haven't been wiped out. I think he'll be OK.''

Overnight, 12 helicopters were pressed into action to drop searchers in otherwise inaccessible spots.

''This will be the most rigorous combing and tracking exercise we have launched so far,'' Niranjan Shrestha, the army official leading the search and rescue effort, told Reuters.

''The soldiers will be digging up the snow to make sure they do not leave a single body behind. They have be very fast and end the operation before evening.''

Singh's father Bijan said it had been a frightening couple of days, not knowing what had happened to the pair, who had travelled to Nepal for Stewart's medical placement.

''We were in a panic. You just don't know. There's a communication breakdown over there so it took a while for them to get in contact.''

He said the entire family breathed a collective sigh of relief once they had confirmation of their survival. ''My wife had been crying.

''It was so tense but then suddenly we were so happy. You just think it could have been such a tragedy for two young people. You really feel for the other families.''

Speaking from Kathmandu, Nepal, Honorary Consul Lisa Choegyal said the New Zealand High Commission understood, but could not be certain, that no Kiwis were awaiting rescue. 

Scrambling into action, emergency rescue crews are being joined by Nepalese Army helicopters and last night, an Australian survivor, Nicole Wise, was identified in the snow and airlifted to safety.

'WE JUST GOT LUCKY'

In the capital, Kathmandu, survivors recounted their brush with death during the blizzard.

Four Nepali guides were swept away by an avalanche, said Horst Ulrich, a 72-year-old German, who was on his fourth trip to Nepal with a group of friends.

''We were in a dangerous spot and shocked at the conditions we were seeing unfold in front of our eyes,'' he added. ''We just got lucky.''

Munchang Lama, 35, a guide for two Israeli women, found himself marooned while he was pitching a tent for them.

''Suddenly it started raining and I took shelter between two rocks,'' said Lama, who was rescued yesterday, suffering from frostbite and minor injuries.

''Next morning I was not able to walk because my leg was stuck in snow,'' he added. ''I realised I would only be able to get out when the snow melted.''

Lama said he was able to keep up his strength by munching on nuts, chocolates and a banana he found in the women's bags.

''This kept me alive for 48 hours,'' said Lama, adding that he did not know what became of his clients.

Officials are blaming the high death toll on hikers who refused to hire guides, but also on unscrupulous guides who promised routes to safety in return for $2400 fees - only to disappear with the payments and desert those fighting for their lives.

Nepal is home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains. Income from tourism, including permit fees from trekkers, who made up more than 12 per cent of its 800,000 tourists in 2013, accounts for 4 per cent of its economy.