Mountaineering officials say Nepal will extend the permits of climbers who were unable to climb Mount Everest last year due to an earthquake-triggered avalanche that killed 19 people at a base camp. Mountaineering Department official Gyanendra Shrestha said the climbers can attempt to climb the world's tallest peak this year or next year without paying new fees. The April 25 earthquake last year killed thousands of people in Nepal and triggered a massive avalanche at the base camp that forced climbers to abandon their climbs. Climbers have to pay $11,000 each for a climbing permit from the Nepalese government, which is generally valid for one season that runs from March to May. Sixteen people were killed in 2014 and 19 in 2015 in natural disasters on Everest.
