KATHMANDU: Several cracks and holes have developed in the Mount Everest region due to last year's devastating earthquakes that killed about 9,000 people across Nepal, according to a specialist team responsible for maintaining the climbing route on the world's highest peak."The great earthquakes of April 25 and May as well as a large number of aftershocks have caused some damage in the Everest region," Ang Tshering Sherpa, chairman of Nepal Mountaineering Association, said."The ice-fall doctors fixing the ladders and ropes have informed that due to the cracks and holes developed on the slope of the mountain they need to fix more ladders this time," he said.Icefall doctors are Sherpa mountaineers charged with repairing the climbing route on Mount Everest."This time we need 10 doctors, which is more than the usual number of six to fix the ropes and install aluminium ladders," Sherpa told Press Trust of India.They also need more time to fix the ladders due to the problem, he added.So far, more than 440 aftershocks with magnitude 4 or more have hit Nepal after the two earthquakes last year.The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) has been authorised to fix ladders and ropes in the mountains.The ice-fall doctors prepare the route from the base camp to usually camp I, paving the way for climbers to ascend the peak. However, it may also require to fix ropes in few places above the camp I.Due to the delay in fixing ropes, the climbers, who have already reached the base camp are yet to start their climb towards the peak.