Billzard Traps Nearly 1,000 Everest Climbers

A sudden and powerful blizzard hit the Tibetan side of Mount Everest on Friday, trapping nearly 1,000 hikers, guides, and support staff in remote mountain camps during China’s busy National Day holiday weekend, according to multiple state-run media reports.

The storm came without warning, catching trekkers and local workers off guard as they made their way through high-altitude trails popular during China’s annual eight-day holiday.

So far, at least 350 people have been rescued, with hundreds more expected to be brought down in the coming days. Some remain stranded in high-altitude camps surrounded by deep snow, cold temperatures, and blocked trails.

The worst-hit area was the Karma Valley, near Everest’s eastern Kangshung face, a lesser-traveled but increasingly popular destination. Elevations there average more than 13,700 feet, making the effects of the storm especially dangerous.

Officials say the blizzard began Friday, dumping heavy snow and freezing rain throughout the region and continued well into Saturday. The snow closed off roads and trekking paths, leaving hikers with limited shelter and few supplies.

State media outlet China Central Television (CCTV) reported that local rescue teams, joined by hundreds of villagers, helped evacuate groups of hikers to Qudang township, where temporary shelter and medical assistance were set up.

Rescuers faced severe weather and limited visibility, but were able to make contact with several hundred stranded people, many of whom were in camps now buried in snow.

Some hikers suffered from hypothermia and exposure, according to members of the Tibet Blue Sky Rescue Team, which has been leading parts of the operation. Emergency calls described collapsed tents, wet sleeping bags, and hikers unable to move due to deep snow and cold.

Trekker Chen Geshuang, who reached safety with 17 others, told reporters,

“It was so wet and cold in the mountains, and hypothermia was a real risk. The guide said he had never seen anything like it in October. It happened all too suddenly.”