QUFANG, TIBET: Hundreds of trekkers stranded by an unusual early-season blizzard near the eastern face of Mount Everest in Tibet have been guided to safety, Chinese state media reported, as heavy snow and rainfall pummelled the Himalayas.
As of yesterday, approximately 350 trekkers had reached the small township of Qudang, while rescue teams had established contact with the remaining 200-plus trekkers still stranded in the remote Karma Valley. Hundreds of visitors, taking advantage of China’s eight-day National Day holiday, were exploring the valley, which leads to the pristine Kangshung face of Everest. Earlier reports suggested nearly 1,000 people were initially trapped.
Survivors described harrowing conditions, battling heavy snowfall, thunder, and lightning, which began on Friday evening and persisted through Saturday.
“It was so wet and cold in the mountains, and hypothermia was a real risk,” said Chen Geshuang, a member of an 18-strong team that reached 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.”
Another trekker, Eric Wen, noted his group had to clear snow every 10 minutes to prevent their tents from collapsing. He reported that two men and a woman in his party suffered from hypothermia as temperatures dipped below freezing in the valley, which averages 4,200 meters in elevation.
Hundreds of local villagers and professional rescue teams have been deployed to clear snow-blocked routes. The remaining trekkers are being brought to Qudang in stages with local government assistance. Ticket sales and entry to the entire Everest Scenic Area were suspended from late Saturday as a safety measure. It remains unclear if trekkers on the more accessible North Face were affected, or if all local guides and support staff are accounted for.
The extreme weather has caused simultaneous devastation in neighboring Nepal, where heavy rains since Friday have triggered flash floods and landslides. At least 47 people have been killed across Nepal, with 35 deaths reported in the eastern Ilam district alone. An additional nine people are missing, and three have died in lightning strikes. Roads are blocked and bridges have been washed away across the country.
