Rescue Efforts Underway for Stranded Everest Hikers Amid Blizzard Conditions
Over 580 hikers and their support staff have been safely guided down from Mount Everest after severe blizzards trapped them. A rescue operation, invol...
Desperate Rescue: Hikers Endure Blizzard Conditions Near Mount Everest
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A sudden blizzard near Mount Everest has left hikers battling hypothermia as rescue operations unfold, with over 200 individuals still stranded in treacherous conditions.
Hikers caught in a shock blizzard near Mount Everest have spoken of experiencing hypothermia as they battled relentless snowfall, while rescuers continue to evacuate scores of people. At least one hiker has died and more than 200 are still stranded on Everest's eastern slopes in Tibet, an area popular with climbers and hikers, Chinese state media reported. Snowfall began on Friday evening and intensified over the weekend. Hundreds of local villagers and rescue workers have been deployed to clear out snow blocking access to the area, which sits at an altitude of more than 4,900m (16,000ft).
Rescuers have guided 350 people to safety in the small township of Qudang. Authorities are in contact with all the hikers who are still trapped. Nature photographer Dong Shuchang was among hundreds of tourists who flocked to the area during China's Golden Week holiday. He was looking forward to capturing the Himalayan marvel from the Tibetan slopes when the snowstorm hit just hours after his trek started on Saturday. The lightning and thunderstorms would not stop. The snowfall was so heavy I could hardly sleep, Mr. Dong explained.
His group had reached an altitude of 4,600m before they decided to turn back. Our windbreakers and raincoats were no match for the snow. We were all drenched, he said, adding that several people in his group of 20 showed signs of hypothermia. The 27-year-old had been to the Himalayas more than a dozen times but said he has never experienced weather like this. Mr. Dong's escape from the trail was lined with wet snow and falling sleet. Everyone was moving slowly. The route was very slippery. I kept falling because of the ice.
His group spent last night in a hotel room in Qudang, where they relied on a generator for electricity. When they left the hotel this morning, the snowstorm had finally subsided. We're just so relieved to get help and support, he said. Chen Geshuang, who was part of Mr. Dong's hiking group, reported that the snow was about a metre deep when the group started their retreat on Sunday. All of us are experienced hikers, but this blizzard was still extremely difficult to deal with. I was so lucky to get out.
This year's snow was exceptional, the 29-year-old outdoor enthusiast said. Another woman told the BBC that her husband, who had been stuck in the snowstorm, was slowly descending from the mountains, but thick snow cover has made his retreat extremely difficult. Even for rescuers, it's not easy; they need to clear snow to make a path, said the woman, who declined to be named. The extreme conditions are a stark reminder of the challenges posed by Mount Everest tourism, particularly during peak seasons like Golden Week.
Rescuers have guided 350 people to safety in the small township of Qudang. Authorities are in contact with all the hikers who are still trapped. Nature photographer Dong Shuchang was among hundreds of tourists who flocked to the area during China's Golden Week holiday. He was looking forward to capturing the Himalayan marvel from the Tibetan slopes when the snowstorm hit just hours after his trek started on Saturday. The lightning and thunderstorms would not stop. The snowfall was so heavy I could hardly sleep, Mr. Dong explained.
His group had reached an altitude of 4,600m before they decided to turn back. Our windbreakers and raincoats were no match for the snow. We were all drenched, he said, adding that several people in his group of 20 showed signs of hypothermia. The 27-year-old had been to the Himalayas more than a dozen times but said he has never experienced weather like this. Mr. Dong's escape from the trail was lined with wet snow and falling sleet. Everyone was moving slowly. The route was very slippery. I kept falling because of the ice.
His group spent last night in a hotel room in Qudang, where they relied on a generator for electricity. When they left the hotel this morning, the snowstorm had finally subsided. We're just so relieved to get help and support, he said. Chen Geshuang, who was part of Mr. Dong's hiking group, reported that the snow was about a metre deep when the group started their retreat on Sunday. All of us are experienced hikers, but this blizzard was still extremely difficult to deal with. I was so lucky to get out.
This year's snow was exceptional, the 29-year-old outdoor enthusiast said. Another woman told the BBC that her husband, who had been stuck in the snowstorm, was slowly descending from the mountains, but thick snow cover has made his retreat extremely difficult. Even for rescuers, it's not easy; they need to clear snow to make a path, said the woman, who declined to be named. The extreme conditions are a stark reminder of the challenges posed by Mount Everest tourism, particularly during peak seasons like Golden Week.