Beijing:
Hundreds of trekkers were stranded by an unseasonal and severe blizzard near the eastern face of Mount Everest in Tibet, Chinese state media reported. Rescuers successfully guided many to safety after unusually heavy snow and rainfall pummelled the Himalayas.
State broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday that some 350 trekkers had reached the small township of Qudang, while rescuers had established contact with over 200 others still trapped in the mountains. The visitors were in the remote Karma valley, taking advantage of China’s eight-day National Day holiday.
The severe weather, which began on Friday evening, was a shocking and dangerous turn for what is typically a peak trekking season.
“The weather this year is not normal. The guide said he had never encountered such weather in October. And it happened all too suddenly,” said Chen Geshuang, a member of a rescued trekking team, who highlighted that “hypothermia was a real risk” due to the wet and cold conditions.
Focus on Climate and Regional Havoc
The Karma valley, which lies at an average elevation of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet), is known for its lush vegetation and untouched alpine forests—a contrast to the arid northern side of Everest. The sudden and intense storm, featuring heavy snowfall combined with thunder and lightning, raised questions about changing climate patterns in the high Himalayas.
Hundreds of local villagers and professional rescue teams were deployed to clear snow blocking access and assist the stranded visitors.
The severe weather has caused wider havoc across the broader Himalayan region. To the south of Tibet in Nepal, heavy rains triggered landslides and flash floods, which have killed at least 50 people since Friday. Thirty-seven of those deaths occurred in the eastern Ilam district alone. Furthermore, a South Korean trekker died in Nepal after climbing the 6,476-meter (21,246-foot) Mera Peak, underscoring the lethal nature of the sudden climate shift.
The successful, though ongoing, rescue operation in Tibet contrasts with the fatal landslides in Nepal, highlighting the region’s extreme vulnerability to escalating and unpredictable weather events.
