Rescue Efforts Underway After Unexpected Snowstorm Traps Hikers on Mount Everest and beyond
A sudden and severe snowstorm โฃhas impacted Mount Everest and surrounding regions, catching approximately 1,000 hikers off guard, particularly on the mountain’s eastern flank. Rescue operationsโฃ are ongoing, with at least 350 hikers already brought to safety โคby local villagers from nearby Tibetan communities.
Rescuers reached those strandedโ in โtent camps, navigatingโ waist-deep snow โขwith the assistance of highland cattle โto clear paths. The โevacuation route involved crossing a 5,300-meter high pass. Reports indicate many hikers were inadequately prepared for the conditions, lacking sufficient water-repellent clothing. The timing of the storm coincided with national holidays in China, making Tibet a popular travel destination despite Octoberโฃ typically beingโข considered a stable โweather month. One rescued hiker described the snowstorm as unprecedented in their experience on Mount Everest.
Extreme mountaineer Billi Bierling,based in Kathmandu,Nepal,noted the hikers appearedโฃ ill-equipped based on available images,potentially due to theโข accessibility of Mount Everest base camp via jeep in Tibet.
The impact ofโ the โstorm extends beyond Everest. Bierling emphasized that numerous villages and โฃlocal residents were also isolated by the heavy snowfall, oftenโ overlooked in theโ focus on the mountain.โ Tragically, the snowfall has already claimed at least one life: a South Korean mountaineer died in โฃa โขstorm while climbing a Himalayanโฃ peak โฃsouth of Mount Everest.
Further west,in China’s Qinghai Province,251โ people have been rescuedโ following heavy snowfall in mountainous areas. Authoritiesโฃ report one fatalityโข in Qinghai, attributed to โฃhypothermiaโฃ and altitude sickness.โ Multiple โgroups of hikers were โขcaught off guard inโ the โQilian Mountains, prompting a large-scale rescue operation involving emergency services from several provinces.
Bierlingโข points to a shift in weather patterns onโฃ Mount Everest, noting that โคearly October historically offered stable conditions. Aโ similar weather break โฃoccurred last year, โฃand a cycloneโ was โฃforecast in nepal.She also expressed concern โthat theโข simplification of mountain tours on social media may lead to hikers underestimatingโ the โinherent dangers,a trend observed not only on Everest โbut also on mountains โฃworldwide,citing the Zugspitzeโข inโฃ Germany as an example.
Bierling manages theโ Himalayan Database in Kathmandu,โ an archive documenting โขthe history โof expeditions on Mount โEverest and the growing consequences ofโข increased mountain tourism.