Trekkers Rescued Near Mount Everest Amid Severe Blizzard
Beijing — Hundreds of trekkers stranded by a fierce blizzard near the eastern side of Mount Everest in Tibet have been safely guided to shelter, according to reports from Chinese state media on Sunday. The region has been experiencing unusually heavy snowfall and rainfall.
As of Sunday morning, about 350 trekkers had reached the small town of Qudang, with contact established with over 200 others still in need of assistance, as reported by CCTV.
The remote Karma valley, which leads to Everest’s eastern face, was bustling with visitors taking advantage of an eight-day National Day holiday in China.
“The weather was extremely wet and cold in the mountains, raising concerns about hypothermia,” said Chen Geshuang, who was part of an 18-member trekking group that made it back to Qudang. “This year’s weather is unusual. Our guide mentioned he had never seen such conditions in October, and they arrived quite suddenly.”
Chen’s group descended on Sunday morning after enduring a challenging night of heavy snowfall, thunder, and lightning. Overcome with emotion, Chen happily accepted warm drinks and a meal from welcoming villagers upon their return.
“There was real comfort in the village after such a tough experience,” she shared.
Local villagers, alongside rescue teams, worked tirelessly to clear blocked paths, as nearly 1,000 people were reported to be trapped. The remaining trekkers are expected to arrive in Qudang gradually, guided by rescuers organized by local authorities.
The CCTV report did not clarify whether the local guides and support staff for the trekking groups had been accounted for.
Challenging Conditions
Snow began to fall in the valley, located at around 4,200 meters (13,800 feet), on Friday evening and continued through Saturday.
“It was raining and snowing nonstop, and we couldn’t even catch a glimpse of Everest,” said Eric Wen, a trekker who faced the harsh conditions. His group decided to turn back from their final campsite on Saturday night due to the ongoing snowfall.
“We were crowded in a large tent, and sleep was hard to come by because of the relentless snow,” Wen explained. His team had to shovel snow off their tents every ten minutes to prevent them from collapsing.
Sadly, two men and a woman in the group faced hypothermia despite being well dressed for the weather. Fortunately, the majority of the group, which included several guides and those tending to their yaks, emerged relatively unharmed.
A Pristine Landscape
The Karma valley, known for its untouched beauty, was first explored by Western adventurers a century ago. Unlike the dry north face of Everest, this area is rich in greenery and alpine forests, nourished by melting glacial water.
It remains unclear how trekkers near the north face fared during the storm. The north face, easily reachable by road, typically attracts large crowds, especially in October, a month known for clearer skies after the Indian monsoon.
Due to the severe weather, ticket sales for the Everest Scenic Area were halted starting late Saturday.
In Nepal, heavy rainfall has led to landslides and flash floods, causing destructive impacts including blocked roads and at least 47 fatalities since Friday. Among the casualties were 35 people who lost their lives in landslides in Ilam district, and several others were reported missing or injured due to flooding and lightning strikes.
