Earthquake forces Noel to leave Everest

Dromara man Noel Hanna (right) with Dublin man Derek Mahon during a former climb to Mt Everest.

Noel, was part of yet another expedition to Mount Everest, when the earthquake struck.

However, this time he was forced to abandon it due to the enormity of the earthquake, that killed 8,000 people and the worst to hit Nepal in 80 years.

He returned back home on Wednesday to south Africa, where he is now safe and well.

Noel, was still feeling earth tremors days after the deadly earthquake.

He was at basecamp on the Tibet side of Mount Everest when the first major earthquake hit.

“The ground under your feet was like walking over swamp land,” he said. “It seemed to last for one of two minutes. All around basecamp rocks started to fall from the peaks surrounding it.

“The following day while doing an interview with a Russian TV station another large tremor happened.

“The camera crew and the interviewer ran out of the tent in fear. Again, as the day before, rocks started crashing down all around basecamp.

“We immediately told all members to stop climbing and return back to basecamp.”

The Chinese government then closed the mountains to climbers so Noel was left with no coice but to return hom,

“On April 28 the Chinese government closed all mountains to climbers for fear of further tremors,” he said.

“We left basecamp on Sun May 3 and arrived to Lhasa.”

He then flew to Kathmandu where he spent two nights before flying home again.

“I have felt tremors before in South Africa but they were small compared to the quake and tremors here in the Himalayas,” Noel said.

Noel has been leading expeditions to all 7 continents and led 7 successful teams to the summit of Mt.Everest. As well as taking on Mount Everest, Noel has competed in many of the world’s most gruelling endurance races such as The Marathon Des Sables, Deathvalley 135, Discovery Eco-challenges and Himalayan 100 miler.

He has been to the highest point on all continents and the first person to go from the highest point to sea-level.

He has been responsible for co-ordinating and positioning Red Bull film crew’s and getting Valery Rozov to jump for worlds highest wing suit jump of Everest’s North Summit (Chanze) in May 2013.

Noel also has been leading expeditions to the summit of Mt.Everest.