Why are so many people dying while climbing Everest?
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The world's highest mountain, Mount Everest, has witnessed its eighth fatality this year with the death of Indian climber Banshi Lal. The average death rate has risen to 6.4 per year since the turn of the century. The harsh conditions on Everest can lead to Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS), exhaustion, non-AMS illnesses, and exposure to the elements which frequently result in fatalities.