Hundreds of hikers have been rescued from Mount Everest after a blizzard swept across the Himalayas, trapping nearly 1,000 people in remote trekking areas of Tibet.
More than 350 people have been safely evacuated to Qudang, a small township near the Karma Valley, while contact has been made with over 200 others who are still awaiting extraction from the eastern slopes of the mountain, Chinese state media reported.
The blizzard struck on Friday evening, coinciding with China’s eight-day National Day holiday, a peak season for hiking and tourism in the area.
Trekkers had flocked to the Karma Valley, a high-altitude trail at over 4,900 metres (16,000 feet) that leads to the Kangshung Face, Everest’s eastern approach, making rescue efforts particularly challenging.
“It was so wet and cold in the mountains, and hypothermia was a real risk,” said Chen Geshuang, who was part of an 18-person trekking team which made it to Qudang.
“The weather this year is not normal. The guide said he had never encountered such weather in October. And it happened all too suddenly.”
Hundreds of local villagers and rescue teams were deployed to clear heavy snow blocking access to the area, according to an early report by state-backed Jimu News.
Eyewitnesses described extreme cold, collapsed tents and the onset of hypothermia.
“It was raining and snowing every day, and we did not see Everest at all,” said Eric Wen, part of an 18-person group.
“We had to clear snow off our tents every 10 minutes to stop them from collapsing.”
He added: “We only had a few tents. More than ten of us squeezed into one, and we hardly slept.”
Three of his team members, two men and a woman, suffered mild hypothermia.
Tingri County Tourism Company suspended ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area from Saturday, in response to the extreme conditions.