Hundreds of hikers were left stranded on Mount Everest after a powerful blizzard slammed the area with heavy snow and rain.
Rescue teams managed to guide around 350 hikers to safety, transporting them to Qudang, a small township near the mountain’s eastern slope.
However, at least 200 others remain trapped, with rescuers struggling to reach them amid harsh conditions.
According to Chinese state media outlet Xinhua, a 41-year-old man reportedly died from acute altitude sickness and hypothermia.
Another hiker, a South Korean national, died after becoming trapped in the blizzard while climbing a Himalayan peak just south of Mount Everest.
He was first reported missing near the summit of Mera Peak, a 21,250-foot mountain in Nepal.
Authorities later confirmed his death on Tuesday.
Standing over 29,000 feet tall, Mount Everest – the world’s highest peak – sits between Tibet and Nepal in the Himalayan mountain range. The storm struck during peak climbing season.
Where Are the Hikers Stranded?
Most of the stranded hikers are Chinese nationals taking advantage of the country’s eight-day National Holiday.
They had been visiting Karma, a remote valley on Everest that leads to the mountain’s eastern face.
Snow began falling Friday evening and continued through Saturday, trapping nearly 1,000 people in the area.
Rescue teams, along with hundreds of local residents, have been working tirelessly to clear snow and reopen blocked routes to reach those stranded.
One Chinese hiker said their group was “too scared to sleep” on Saturday night as snow rapidly piled up around their campsite, forcing them to clear it every hour and a half.
On their way down, they encountered their guide’s father, who had climbed up the mountain searching for his son.It was then they learned that the weather in the valley was just as severe.
One of the climbers, Chen Geshuang, said the snow was nearly three feet deep when their group began descending the mountain on Sunday.
While everyone in the group was an experienced climber, the extreme weather conditions proved incredibly difficult to endure.
The Risk of Hypothermia
Hypothermia is a serious and potentially fatal condition for mountain climbers if not recognized and treated quickly.
It occurs when an individual’s body temperature drops below 95F or 35C – typically due to prolonged exposure to cold air or water.
Extended exposure to freezing environments can also cause hypothermia, especially if a person is unable to maintain body heat or lacks proper clothing and gear.
