Hundreds of trekkers stranded on Everest foothills

Officials say bad weather has returned to the foothills of Mount Everest, forcing flights to be canceled and stranding hundreds of foreign trekkers and their guides.

Lukla airport official Laxmi Devkota said the airport has been enveloped by fog for the past four days and no planes have been able to land. Some 800 foreign trekkers are stranded.

More than 2,500 foreign trekkers were stranded for more than a week earlier this month in Lukla because of bad weather. Weather improved last week allowing them to be flown back to Katmandu. Many of them were forced to stay in tents and food supply was also running short.

The Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla is the gateway for trekkers and mountaineers heading to Everest and surrounding mountains.