Five South Korean climbers and four Nepalese guides are missing on Gurja Himal mountain after a strong storm swept through their base camp, officials said.

A storm on Friday night destroyed their camp and rescue helicopters sent early on Saturday were unable to land because of bad weather conditions on the mountain, police official Bir Bahadur Budamagar said.

It is unlikely the weather will clear on Saturday and the base camp is at least one-day trek from the nearest village.

A police team is also heading towards the base camp on foot and would likely reach there on Sunday.

The climbers were attempting to scale the 7,193-metre (23,590-foot) peak during the autumn climbing season.