Two Bermuda residents are stranded in Nepal after the worst earthquake in 80 years wreaked devastation on the country.

Christian Herzog and Kai Hartman were supposed to be trekking to Mount Everest South Base Camp when the 7.8-magnitude quake hit on Saturday morning.

“It’s been a complete roller coaster all weekend,” said Mr Herzog’s ex-wife, Christina Herzog. “But they are both fine.”

Ms Herzog said the men flew to Lukla, in north-eastern Nepal, last Wednesday to attempt the trek, but they went their separate ways when Mr Hartman began to suffer from altitude sickness.

The 46-year-old assistant head chef at Docksider Pub & Restaurant, who goes by the name of Barney and lives in Pembroke parish, stayed in the village of Namche Bazaar.

Mr Herzog, 48, of Devonshire, and a Sherpa set out for the base camp.

When the quake hit, Mr Herzog, the co-owner of Coconut Rock, was near the village of Pheriche — an important acclimatisation stopover for climbers and trekkers to the base camp — which lies about halfway between Lukla and the base camp.

But Ms Herzog said that it was not until late on Saturday that she finally received word that Mr Herzog was alive and well, although she did not hear from him directly.

She explained that the Sherpa with whom he had been travelling had managed to get a message to London, which was passed on to her.

Mr Herzog and the Sherpa are now on their way back to Namche Bazaar, and are expected to arrive within two days.

Mr Herzog and Mr Hartman, both German nationals who have been living in Bermuda for more than two decades, will be able to determine how and when they will be able to return home.

Mr Herzog’s business partner, Shane DeSilva, expressed his relief that both men were alive.

“We’ve been a worried mess all weekend,” he said. “We haven’t just been concerned with them, but all of the people in Nepal.”

Staff at Docksiders also expressed their relief that their chef was alive and well.

At least 19 people were killed and more than 60 others were injured on Everest after the earthquake triggered avalanches that swept through the South Base Camp.

Hundreds more are stranded and awaiting rescue.

The death toll across the country has now reached more than 4,000.