Hundreds Of Hikers Remain Stranded As Severe Blizzard Hits Mount Everest
on Oct 06, 2025
Rescue Operations Underway At Mount Everest Following A Blizzard
Rescue operations continued Sunday (October 5) on Mount Everest’s eastern slope in Tibet, where hundreds of people have been stranded by a severe blizzard that has cut off road access, according to Chinese state media.
According to Jimu News, hundreds of local villagers and rescue personnel have been mobilized to clear heavy snow blocking routes to high-altitude campsites located above 16,000 feet.
Heavy snowfall began on Friday evening and continued into Saturday, according to official notices posted by the Tingri County Tourism Company on its WeChat account. In response, the company suspended ticket sales and closed access to the Everest Scenic Area late Saturday.
“About one-third into the trek, it began to rain and the rain kept getting heavier,” hiker Chen Geshuang, told NBC News in an online video interview. “Later, it turned into sleet, and eventually a full-on blizzard.”
Many hikers were seen shoveling snow out of their tents during the blizzard, while others formed a line and trudged through whiteout conditions, according to social media videos verified by NBC News.
Chen said that within hours, several members of her team were already showing symptoms of cold stress and mild hypothermia. By Saturday night, the storm had grown more severe, with lightning striking almost every minute.
Nearly 350 hikers have already reached safety at a designated rendezvous point in the small township of Qudang, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
Mount Everest Remains One Of The Most Deadly Mountains In The World
Mount Everest, or Mount Qomolangma in Chinese, is part of the Himalayan mountain range, and lies along the border between Nepal and China. While both countries share the summit, the most popular climbing route is on the Nepalese side. Most hikers begin their journey by flying from Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, to the small mountain town of Lukla.
According to the Himalayan Database, at least 322 people have died on Mount Everest since records began in 1922, averaging around 4.4 fatalities per year. 200 of those bodies are still expected to be on the mountain.
On April 25, 2015, an earthquake in Nepal with a magnitude of 7.8 caused widespread devastation. Near Everest, the quake triggered massive avalanches on the mountain, especially around Everest Base Camp, which resulted in the deaths of at least 22 people and injured many others.
