Hundreds of trekkers stranded by a sudden blizzard near the eastern face of Mount Everest in Tibet have been rescued and guided to safety, according to Chinese state media reports on Sunday.
The rescue followed days of unusually heavy snow and rainfall that have battered the Himalayan region.
China Central Television (CCTV) reported that as of Sunday, about 350 trekkers had safely reached the small township of Qudang, while contact had been established with over 200 others still descending under official supervision.
The tourists had been exploring the remote Karma Valley, a scenic route leading to the Kangshung face of Everest, during China’s eight-day National Day holiday, one of the country’s busiest travel periods.
“It was so wet and cold in the mountains, and hypothermia was a real risk,” said Chen Geshuang, a member of an 18-person trekking group that made it safely back to Qudang. “The weather this year is not normal. Our guide said he had never seen such conditions in October, and it all happened so suddenly.”
The blizzard, which brought heavy snow, thunder, and lightning, began on Friday evening and continued through Saturday, blanketing the valley, which sits at an altitude of about 4,200 metres (13,800 feet) in deep snow.
Local authorities coordinated large-scale rescue operations, deploying hundreds of villagers to clear blocked mountain paths and assist stranded trekkers. Earlier reports by state-backed Jimu News indicated that as many as 1,000 people were initially trapped in the area.
Chen described a harrowing night spent in freezing conditions before her group managed to descend. “When we returned to the village, the locals welcomed us with sweet tea and warm food,” she recalled. “After the long, cold night, that warmth meant everything.”
CCTV said the remaining trekkers were expected to arrive at safety points in stages under the guidance of rescuers. However, it remains unclear whether all local guides and support staff have been accounted for, or if climbers on the north face of Everest, also in Tibet, were affected.
In response to the incident, authorities have suspended ticket sales and entry to the entire Everest Scenic Area since late Saturday, according to a notice from the Tingri County Tourism Company published on its official WeChat account.
Meanwhile, to the south in Nepal, heavy rains have unleashed landslides and flash floods, killing at least 47 peoplesince Friday. Officials said 35 deaths occurred in Ilam district, near the Indian border, while nine people remain missing after being swept away by floods. Three others were killed by lightning strikes in separate incidents across the country.
