Indian woman scales Mt Everest twice in a week

An Indian climber yesterday reached the summit of Mount Everest for the second time in less than a week, her expedition team said, setting a women's record for a double ascent of the world's highest mountain in a single season.

Anshu Jamsenpa, 37, returned from the 8,848-metre (29,028-feet) peak on May 16, before turning around after a short rest to repeat the feat.

"Anshu reached the summit of Everest at 8:00am today for the second time this season, setting a new record," said Dawa Lama of Dream Himalaya Adventures.

Jamsenpa, a mother of two, was blessed by Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama before leaving for the expedition.

The current female record, certified by Guinness World Records, is held by Nepali climber Chhurim Sherpa, who in 2012 become the first woman to scale the peak twice in a season.

Jamsenpa has climbed Mount Everest five times.

Last week Nepali climber Lhakpa Sherpa broke her own record for the greatest number of summits by a woman after scaling the peak for an eighth time.

More than 120 climbers have made the summit this season, with the first ascents delayed by high winds, fresh snowfall and unusually cold temperatures.

There are concerns a high number of summit permits issued by Nepal could cause dangerous "traffic jams" on the mountain as climbers target a brief window of favourable weather before the monsoon in June.