One hiker was killed and dozens were rescued after a powerful blizzard struck the Tibetan slopes of Mount Everest and nearby regions in northwest China’s Qinghai Province, leaving hundreds stranded in freezing conditions, according to Chinese state media and eyewitness accounts.
Local officials said a 41-year-old male hiker died from hypothermia and acute altitude sickness in Qinghai, while 137 stranded hikers were rescued and relocated. Search operations are underway for others still missing.
Hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts had travelled to Tibet and the high-altitude Laohugou region of Qinghai during China’s eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays starting October 1, when continuous snowfall trapped many in treacherous terrain.
More than 300 rescue personnel, aided by drones, horses, and yaks, were deployed to find the missing climbers. Local villagers and guides joined in as temperatures plummeted across the Himalayan slopes.
‘The snowfall was so heavy I could hardly sleep’: Survivors describe ordeal
Nature photographer Dong Shuchang, among hundreds of tourists visiting during the holiday, said he had never encountered such extreme weather. “The lightning and thunderstorms would not stop. The snowfall was so heavy I could hardly sleep,” he said.
His group reached an altitude of 4,600 metres before deciding to turn back.
“Our windbreakers and raincoats were no match for the snow. We were all drenched,” Dong said, adding that several people in his group showed signs of hypothermia.
Chen Geshuang, who was part of Dong’s group, described the ordeal as “extremely difficult.”
“All of us are experienced hikers,” she said. “But this blizzard was still extremely difficult to deal with. I was so lucky to get out. This year’s snow was exceptional.”
Trapped in Karma Valley: ‘We had to clear snow every 10 minutes’
Another hiker, FeiFei, who was evacuated on Monday, said heavy snowfall buried their camp in Karma Valley at the foot of Mount Everest.
“We had to constantly clear the snow from the tents, but I collapsed from exhaustion (…) and my tent got buried,” she said.
After two days of trekking through deep snow, she said, “Firefighters cleared the path using yaks and horses,” and her group finally reached a rescue centre.
A woman from Shenzhen told BBC she received a satellite call from her stranded husband in the same valley.
“Even for rescuers, it’s not easy. They need to clear snow to make a path,” she said, adding that her husband was afraid to sleep in case he was buried by snow.
Eric Wen, another survivor, told Reuters that three people in his group suffered from hypothermia despite being properly equipped.
“It was snowing too hard, and we had to clear the snow every 10 minutes,” he said. “Otherwise our tents would have collapsed.”
Authorities said search and rescue operations are ongoing, with rescue teams continuing to reach hikers trapped in remote Himalayan areas.
Local officials said a 41-year-old male hiker died from hypothermia and acute altitude sickness in Qinghai, while 137 stranded hikers were rescued and relocated. Search operations are underway for others still missing.
Hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts had travelled to Tibet and the high-altitude Laohugou region of Qinghai during China’s eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays starting October 1, when continuous snowfall trapped many in treacherous terrain.
More than 300 rescue personnel, aided by drones, horses, and yaks, were deployed to find the missing climbers. Local villagers and guides joined in as temperatures plummeted across the Himalayan slopes.
‘The snowfall was so heavy I could hardly sleep’: Survivors describe ordeal
Nature photographer Dong Shuchang, among hundreds of tourists visiting during the holiday, said he had never encountered such extreme weather. “The lightning and thunderstorms would not stop. The snowfall was so heavy I could hardly sleep,” he said.
His group reached an altitude of 4,600 metres before deciding to turn back.
“Our windbreakers and raincoats were no match for the snow. We were all drenched,” Dong said, adding that several people in his group showed signs of hypothermia.
Chen Geshuang, who was part of Dong’s group, described the ordeal as “extremely difficult.”
“All of us are experienced hikers,” she said. “But this blizzard was still extremely difficult to deal with. I was so lucky to get out. This year’s snow was exceptional.”
Trapped in Karma Valley: ‘We had to clear snow every 10 minutes’
Another hiker, FeiFei, who was evacuated on Monday, said heavy snowfall buried their camp in Karma Valley at the foot of Mount Everest.
“We had to constantly clear the snow from the tents, but I collapsed from exhaustion (…) and my tent got buried,” she said.
After two days of trekking through deep snow, she said, “Firefighters cleared the path using yaks and horses,” and her group finally reached a rescue centre.
A woman from Shenzhen told BBC she received a satellite call from her stranded husband in the same valley.
“Even for rescuers, it’s not easy. They need to clear snow to make a path,” she said, adding that her husband was afraid to sleep in case he was buried by snow.
Eric Wen, another survivor, told Reuters that three people in his group suffered from hypothermia despite being properly equipped.
“It was snowing too hard, and we had to clear the snow every 10 minutes,” he said. “Otherwise our tents would have collapsed.”
Authorities said search and rescue operations are ongoing, with rescue teams continuing to reach hikers trapped in remote Himalayan areas.
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