Summary

  • More than 200 hikers stranded by a blizzard on the Tibetan slopes of Mount Everest remain to be rescued, with Chinese state media saying they have all been contacted by the authorities

  • Some 350 others have been guided to safety by rescuers, according to media reports

  • Heavy snow trapped hundreds of tourists trekking in the Tibetan valley leading to Mount Everest's eastern face over the weekend, at the start of an eight-day national holiday in China

  • The location is popular with tourists, especially during the so-called Golden Week holiday

  • Social media posts show tents buried in what one guide describes as unusually high snowfall for this time of year, as rescuers guided tourist groups through blizzards around blocked paths and roads

Video captures hikers wading through snow near Mount Everest

Live Reporting

Edited by Yvette Tan, with reporting by Stephen McDonell and Laura Bicker in Beijing and Ewe Koh in Singapore

  1. Area hit by snowstorm is a popular hiking spot

    Dome tents perched against the backdrop of a mountainGetty Images

    Local authorities have invested in tourist development in the Mount Everest Scenic Area, a popular spot for hikers.

    This includes Everest Base Camp, an observation deck and a monastery, along with several valleys and other peaks.

    These efforts have paid off: in 2024, the Mount Everest Scenic Area received a record 540,200 visitors, according to state media.

    These visitors are typically not aiming to reach the summit of the world's tallest peak, however. In 2024, nearly 1,000 people reached the top of Everest - the vast majority from the Nepal side of the mountain.

  2. In pictures: Rescue operation under way

    Chinese state-run broadcaster CCTV has released a couple of photos showing the rescue operation under way.

    People can be seen preparing instant noodles as rescue operation continuesCCTV

    People can be seen preparing instant noodles as rescue operation continues

    Trekkers gather for further rescue notice as the Tibetan authorities attempt to relocate them to safetyCCTV

    Trekkers gather for further rescue notice as the Tibetan authorities attempt to relocate them to safety

  3. 'The weather this year is not normal'

    October marks one of the year's peak hiking seasons for Everest and its surrounding areas, when the temperature is known to be forgiving and skies are clear.

    But this year, hikers and guides were caught off guard by a snowstorm that started on Friday evening and intensified on the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in TIbet.

    "It was so wet and cold in the mountains, and hypothermia was a real risk," a hiker who was evacuated to Qudang township told Reuters.

    "The weather this year is not normal. The guide said he had never encountered such weather in October. And it happened all too suddenly."

  4. What we know so far

    Snowfall in the valley of Karma, which leads to the eastern face of Everest, began on Friday evening and continued through Saturday - leaving hundreds of hikers stranded.

    Local media initially said around 1,000 hikers were stranded. On Monday, Chinese state media reported that 350 people were evacuated while around 200 remaining have been contacted.

    Hundreds of local villagers and rescue teams have been deployed to clear out snow blocking access to the area, which sits at an altitude of more than 4,900m (16,000ft).

    Tticket sales and entry to Everest Scenic Area have been suspended since Saturday due to heavy snowfall, local authorities said.

    Over the past week domestic tourism has boomed in China, which is in the middle of its week-long National Day holiday known as the Golden Week.

  5. Hundreds evacuated from Everest after snowstorm

    Unusually heavy snow and rain in the Himalayas trapped hundreds of people in campsites on the Tibetan slopes near Mount Everest.

    Around 350 hikers have been evacuated to safety in a local township, while more than 200 people remaining have been contacted, according to Chinese state media.

    This comes amid days of extreme weather in the region. In neighbouring Nepal, at least 47 people have died since Friday after heavy rains triggered landslides and floods.

    Everest is the world's highest peak at over 8,849m. Although many people attempt to climb the summit every year, it is considered an incredibly dangerous hike.

    Stick with us as we bring you the latest on the rescue efforts.