Rescue efforts are underway in the remote Tibetan slopes of Mount Everest, where a snowstorm has trapped nearly 1,000 people in campsites on the eastern side of the mountain, according to Chinese state media.
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 4,900 metres (16,000 feet).
According to local media, about 350 people have been rescued and guided to safety to the small township of Qudang town, the Reuters news agency said.
Heavy snowfall began on Friday evening and has intensified on the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet, which is an area popular with climbers and hikers.
“It was so wet and cold – hypothermia was a real risk,” Chen Geshuang, who was part of a trekking group who made it to Qudang, 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.”
Tibet’s Blue Sky Rescue team had received a call for help saying that tents had collapsed due to heavy snow, and that some hikers were already suffering from hypothermia, Chinese state media reported.
Tingri County Tourism Company suspended ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area from Saturday, according to Reuters news agency.
The region is facing extreme weather at the moment, as neighbouring Nepal has been battered by heavy rains, which triggered landslides and flash floods that have washed away bridges and killed at least 47 people in the last two days.
In China, Typhoon Matmo has made landfall, forcing about 150,000 people to evacuate from their homes.
Mount 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.
In recent years, it has been plagued with concerns of overcrowding, environmental concerns and a series of fatal climbing attempts.
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