Chinese official media say that a harsh and unexpected blizzard in the Mount Everest area of Tibet caught about 1,000 trekkers over the weekend. After the Himalayas were hit by exceptionally heavy snow and rain, making circumstances dangerous, rescuers were sent in to safely escort hundreds of people.
On Friday night, a lot of snow fell on the eastern slopes of Mount Everest, which is a very popular place for climbers and hikers. The snow continued to fall over the weekend. The secluded valley of Karma, which leads to the eastern Kangshung face of Everest, had more people there because of China’s recent eight-day National Day holiday.
Conditions and rescue efforts
On Sunday, Chinese official media, through Reuters, said that 350 hikers had made it to the small hamlet of Qudang. They had also been able to get in touch with the other 200 or so trekkers.
Hundreds of people and professional rescue teams worked together to clear the snow that was obstructing access to the area that was affected. The valley, which is about 4,200 meters (13,800 feet) altitude, had really strange weather for October, which is usually a peak season when the Indian monsoon ends and the skies clear up. Pictures from the area showed cloudy sky, high winds, and people walking through knee-deep snow.
One hiker who made it to Qudang township talked about how bad the weather was, saying, “It was so wet and cold in the mountains that hypothermia was a real risk.” He also said that this year’s weather is unusual; his guide said he had never seen such bad weather in October before.
The rest of the hikers are anticipated to arrive in Qudang in stages, with help and advice from rescuers coordinated by the local administration.
The Weather in the Himalayas in a Bigger Picture
The report didn’t make it apparent if all the local guides and support staff for the trekking groups had been counted, and it wasn’t obvious if trekkers who were near the north face of Everest (Mt Qomolangma) in Tibet had been affected.
Heavy rain has been hitting Nepal and parts of India hard, and it happened at the same time as heavy snow fell in Tibet. This bad weather has caused landslides and flash floods all over the region, killing and injuring many people in the places that were hit.