Hundreds stranded as blizzard traps hikers on Tibetan slopes of Mt Everest
New Delhi, Oct 6: More than 200 hikers remain stranded on the Tibetan slopes of Mount Everest after an intense blizzard swept through the region over the weekend, Chinese state media reported on Monday. Authorities said all those still trapped have been contacted, while rescue teams have safely guided around 350 others to nearby shelters.
Heavy snowfall began on Friday evening in the remote Karma Valley — which leads to the eastern face of Everest — just as thousands of domestic tourists began the week-long National Day “Golden Week” holiday. The blizzard buried tents and blocked access roads at altitudes above 4,900 metres (16,000 feet), leaving hundreds of hikers cut off in treacherous mountain conditions.
Initial reports suggested that up to 1,000 people were stranded before rescue operations began. State media later confirmed that 350 people had been evacuated to a local township and that contact had been established with the remaining hikers awaiting rescue. Hundreds of local villagers and emergency personnel have been deployed to clear snow and reopen access routes to the area.
Authorities have suspended ticket sales and closed the Mount Everest Scenic Area, a popular tourism destination featuring the Everest Base Camp, observation decks, monasteries, and trekking routes across several valleys. The site drew a record 540,200 visitors in 2024 as China promoted adventure tourism in the Himalayan region.
Social media posts from trapped hikers and guides showed tents buried in deep snow and tourists trudging through blizzards as rescuers led them along blocked trails. Local guides described the snowfall as unusually heavy for this time of year.
The severe weather has affected the broader Himalayan region. In neighbouring Nepal, at least 47 people have been killed since Friday after torrential rains triggered landslides and flash floods. Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak at 8,849 metres, attracts thousands of trekkers and climbers annually. While most visitors to the Tibetan side come for scenic trekking rather than summit attempts, this weekend’s storm has underscored the dangers of the high-altitude environment - even for casual hikers.
