BEIJING: Rescue operations are continuing on the Tibetan slopes of Mount Everest after a sudden blizzard trapped hundreds of hikers over the weekend, leaving many stranded amid heavy snow and freezing temperatures.
The snowstorm, which began late on Friday, intensified through the weekend across the Karma Valley a popular trekking route leading to Everest’s eastern face as China’s Golden Week holiday got underway.
More than 350 people have been led to safety, while around 200 others remain trapped, according to Chinese state media.
I’ve been to the Himalayas about 20 times, but I’ve never experienced weather like this, said 27-year-old hiker and photographer Dong Shuchang, who was among those rescued. Our windbreakers and raincoats were no match for the snow. We were drenched and freezing.
Another hiker, Geshuang Chen, 29, described the ordeal as extremely difficult, recalling how her group woke to find nearly a metre of snow around their tents. We decided to turn back immediately. I was so lucky to get out, she told the told News reporter
Rescuers, including police, fire brigades, and local villagers, have been mobilised to reach stranded trekkers. In some areas, yaks are being used to navigate deep snow and detect hidden chasms.
Footage from the scene shows emergency teams carrying exhausted hikers on their backs through thick snowdrifts.
Authorities say all those still on the mountain have been contacted. Many were trapped in remote areas where temperatures dropped sharply, raising fears of hypothermia a dangerous condition that occurs when body temperature falls below 35°C.
The blizzard has also affected neighbouring Nepal, where torrential rains and flooding triggered by the same storm system have killed at least 47 people.
Several villages were swept away by landslides in Ilam district, and officials warned the death toll could rise as rescuers struggle to reach isolated communities.
Meteorologists say the snowstorm is linked to an unusually strong weather system formed in the Bay of Bengal, which drifted northward just as the southwest monsoon was retreating a period typically marked by clear skies across the Himalayas.
The Chinese side of Everest, including the Karma Valley trail, is strictly regulated and normally considered safe during October, one of the region’s peak hiking seasons. But the storm caught even experienced guides off guard.
“This weekend has shown how unpredictable Himalayan weather can be,” said BBC correspondent Laura Bicker, reporting from Beijing. Even with preparation and permits, nature can quickly change the rules.
Rescue efforts are expected to continue until all hikers are brought down from the mountain.
