Hundreds of trekkers remain stranded on Mount Everest’s eastern slopes after an unseasonal blizzard swept across Tibet, collapsing campsites and cutting off access routes during China’s Golden Week holiday.
Rescue teams said about 350 people had been guided down from the mountain by Sunday, while contact has been made with roughly 200 others still marooned higher up. The trapped hikers are reported to be safe but enduring freezing conditions as rescuers clear snow-choked trails.
The storm struck suddenly on Friday evening, catching trekking groups in the Karama Valley by surprise. October is normally one of the Himalayas calmest months prized for clear skies and stable temperatures but heavy snow quickly blanketed the valley, burying tents and forcing climbers to dig themselves out.
Local volunteers joined emergency crews through the night, using shovels and livestock to cut paths through drifts sometimes waist-deep. Video posted online shows rescuers carrying exhausted walkers to safety and villagers handing out warm food once they reached lower ground.
“It was the most extreme weather I’ve ever faced,” wrote one Chinese trekker on Weibo, describing winds so strong that tents collapsed within minutes. Others said they had to clear snow every few minutes to prevent being buried alive.
Officials in Tingri County, which administers the Everest Scenic Area, have closed the site and suspended ticket sales. Power cuts and blocked roads have hampered communication, with some towns near the base camp still without electricity.
The blizzard coincides with severe weather across South Asia. In neighbouring Nepal, torrential rain has triggered landslides and flash floods that have killed at least 47 people and destroyed bridges and mountain roads. In eastern China, Typhoon Matmo has displaced more than 150,000 residents.
Mountain guides say this weekend’s conditions were far beyond what is typical for early autumn. “We prepare for the cold, but not this,” one told state media. “The snow came fast and didn’t stop.”
Authorities said all remaining groups on the mountain have been located and that evacuation efforts will continue until every trekker is brought to safety.