Nepal Earthquake: Mount Everest Climbers Likely Not Impacted, Expert Says

It is unlikely any climbers were trying to scale Mount Everest when a 7.3-magnitude temblor struck earthquake-ravaged Nepal on Tuesday, the head of one of the country's main mountaineering organizations told NBC News.

“To my knowledge, there are no trekkers or climbers near or at Everest. Certainly not anyone affiliated with our organization,” said Iswari Paudel, the managing director of Himalayan Guides Nepal, which provides logistical services to foreign tour operators.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the epicenter of Tuesday's quake was near Everest Base Camp, which was evacuated after the April 25 earthquake sparked an avalanche that killed 18 climbers. Mountaineers trying to climb the world's tallest mountain in the world called off the season after the disaster.

• Add to Google

FROM APRIL 29: Avalanche Hitting Everest Base Camp Caught On Camera

00:36

Rescue workers, however, were rushing to the area to discover the extent of the damage caused by the new quake.

“The area where the earthquake hit is in the eastern part of country towards the Mount Everest region,” Richard Ragan, the World Food Programme’s emergency coordinator, told NBC News from Kathmandu. “The initial reports are that structures collapsed, probably structures that were already in disrepair.”

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSJudge guts noncitizen voting law used in Trump administration’s election push

FOR SUBSCRIBERSWhite House plans travel for Trump in at least 17 states ahead of the midterms

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe prosecutor at the center of the Cornell maelstrom

FOR SUBSCRIBERSIt’s rarely been harder for people to find new jobs

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

The second quake hit close to where WFP was already setting up aid centers.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSJudge guts noncitizen voting law used in Trump administration’s election push

FOR SUBSCRIBERSWhite House plans travel for Trump in at least 17 states ahead of the midterms

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe prosecutor at the center of the Cornell maelstrom

FOR SUBSCRIBERSIt’s rarely been harder for people to find new jobs

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCBP leaders cut out of Trump ad buy decision

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAmerican passenger drafted goodbye texts to her family as Flydubai plane plummeted

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation pushes embattled New York prosecutor into national spotlight

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

“Part of the challenge is that we’re racing against the clock to establish forward bases so we can provide assistance to these very remote areas,” Ragan said.

NBC News' Laura Saravia and Reuters contributed to this report.