Nepali Sherpa scales Mount Everest for a record 31st time

Nepali Sherpa guide Kami Rita scaled Mount Everest for the 31st time on Tuesday, breaking the record he set last year.

The 55-year-old reached the 29,032 foot peak - the highest in the world - by the traditional southeast ridge route while guiding a 22-member Indian army team, officials said, adding that 27 other Sherpas also accompanied the group.

"He is a very passionate climber," said Pasang Phurba, director of the Seven Summit Treks company for which Kami Rita works, adding that Rita was currently descending to lower camps.

Rita first climbed Everest in 1994 and has done so every year except for three years when authorities closed the mountain to climbers for various reasons.

More than 8,000 people have climbed Mount Everest since it was first scaled by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953.

After Rita, another Sherpa, Pasang Dawa, has ascended Everest the most with 29 climbs. Among non-Sherpa climbers, the record is held by British guide Kenton Cool who has accomplished the feat 19 times, followed by American climbers Dave Hahn and Garrett Madison with 15 times each.

One of the poorest countries in the world, Nepal is home to eight of the world's 14 highest peaks and is heavily reliant on climbing, trekking, and tourism for foreign exchange.

Guiding foreign climbers to Everest and other peaks provides crucial family income to many Sherpas.

Authorities have issued 468 permits to climbers for Everest this March-May climbing season, and more than 300 climbers and Sherpas have already scaled the peak, officials said.

Two climbers are known to have died on the mountain this month and there have also been unconfirmed reports of other deaths.