Rescue efforts are ongoing on Mount Everest’s Tibetan slopes after a severe snowstorm trapped nearly 1,000 people in camps. Emergency teams are clearing blocked routes at over 4,900 metres, with some tourists already rescued. Authorities suspended access to the area as the region faces extreme weather, including deadly floods in Nepal and Typhoon Matmo in China.
Rescue operations are underway on the remote Tibetan slopes of Mount Everest after a powerful snowstorm trapped nearly 1,000 people in camps on the mountain’s eastern side, Chinese state media reported.
Hundreds of local residents and emergency responders have been dispatched to clear heavy snow that has cut off access to the area, located more than 4,900 metres (16,000 feet) above sea level. Chinese outlets said that some stranded tourists have already been rescued.
The snowstorm began late Friday and intensified over the weekend across the eastern slopes of Everest in Tibet, a region popular with climbers and trekkers.
According to Chinese state media, Tibet’s Blue Sky Rescue team received distress calls reporting collapsed tents and hikers suffering from hypothermia due to the worsening weather.
Authorities in Tingri County have suspended ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area since Saturday, Reuters reported.
The storm comes amid extreme weather across the region. In neighbouring Nepal, relentless rainfall has triggered landslides and flash floods that destroyed bridges and killed at least 47 people over the past two days.
Meanwhile, Typhoon Matmo has struck parts of China, forcing roughly 150,000 residents to evacuate their homes.
Mount Everest, the world’s tallest peak at 8,849 metres, draws thousands of climbers each year despite its reputation as one of the planet’s most perilous ascents. In recent years, the mountain has faced growing concerns over overcrowding, environmental degradation, and a string of fatal climbing accidents.