The death toll following the earthquake in Nepal has risen to over 4300 and still rising. United Nations says that eight million people have been affected, and over a million need food aid. I’m not a religious person, pray if you wish (no sarcasm meant) but it’s more practical to send donation via relevant bodies.
World’s shortest man, ever
72-year-old Chandra Bahadur Dangi from Nepal has broken the record for the world’s shortest man. At 54.6cm he’s also the shortest person ever measured…
New world’s shortest man
Khagendra Thapa Magar from Nepal is named as the new world’s shortest man, taking the title from Colombia’s Edward Niño Hernandez who held the record for a few months after the death of former record holder, China’s He Pingping.
Khagendra measures 2 ft 2.41 in (67.08 cm) tall, 2 inches shorter than Hernandez.
South Korean first woman to conquer top 14 peaks
South Korean Oh Eun-sun became the first woman to conquer the world’s top 14 peaks after reaching the top of Annapurna in Nepal on Tuesday.
There are 14 independent peaks on earth over 8,000m above sea level (referred to as the Eight-Thousanders). Italian Reinhold Messner was the first to reach all the peaks in 1986. A total of 20 men and woman have completed the feat.
There are still some questions over Oh’s record though, as there’s dispute on whether the 44-year-old Korean has reached one of the tops in 2009.
Mt Everest – busiest, oldest, youngest and the first
It has been a busy week for Mount Everest.
Last Thursday (May 22) a record 86 mountaineers reached the 8,848m (29,029ft) summit of the world’s highest mountain. Among them is 47-year-old Appa Sherpa, who broke his own record for the most ascents after climbing the mountain for the 18th time. [BBC]
Bahadur Sherchan, a 76-year-old Nepalese man, has become the oldest person to conquer the mountain. He broke the record on Sunday (May 25) previously held by Japanese Katsusuke Yanagisawa, who climbed the mountain at age of 71 in May 2007.
The youngest Everest conqueror is Ming Kipa Sherpa who made it to the top in May 2003 when she was 15. Yes, a SHE. [Guardian]
Today (May 29) is the 55th anniversary of the first successful ascent to Everest summit. New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay were the first to reach the peak in 1953.