Race against time to rescue 200 hikers trapped in snow after Mount Everest blizzard
Hundreds of hikers trapped on Mount Everest in brutal snowstorm
- A severe snowstorm on Mount Everest's eastern face during China's Golden Week holiday resulted in one death and left over 200 trekkers stranded.
- Separately, a 46-year-old South Korean national died while ascending Merak Peak in Nepal, south of Everest, likely from prolonged exposure to extreme cold.
- Over 350 individuals have been rescued and escorted to Qudang, 48km from Everest's Tibetan side base camp, with the remaining 200 expected to be evacuated.
- Rescuers, including Chinese officials and local villagers, battled deep snow and limited visibility to save hundreds of trekkers trapped at elevations exceeding 4,900m.
- Survivors recounted suffering from hypothermia and continuously clearing snow from their tents, noting the unusual intensity of the blizzard for the region.