Deadly Himalayan blizzard caught on camera

A hike across one of the world's tallest peaks turns into a nightmare, as an unseasonal blizzard batters Nepal's Annapurna trail.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) PAUL SHERRIDAN, A BRITISH SURVIVOR OF THE HIMALAYAN BLIZZARD, SAYING:

"I've been involved in the incident on the Thorong La pass where people have been led to their death unnecessarily."

British national Paul Sherridan caught the blizzard on camera. He and fellow hikers had no choice but to wait out the storm, which triggered a slew of avalanches.

Officials say at least 39 people have been killed and some forty are still missing.

Hikers from Canada, India, Israel and Poland are among those still unaccounted for.

This what hikers saw on a trek that requires no previous mountaineering experience and draws tourists from all over the world.

Sherridan says Nepal's government could have prevented the loss of life by issuing a warning ahead of time.

SOUNDBITE) (English) PAUL SHERRIDAN, A BRITISH