About 1,000 tourists trapped on Mount Everest's eastern slope by blizzard - Reports

BEIJING - About 1,000 tourists have been trapped on the eastern slope of Mount Everest in Tibet due to the heavy snowfall complicating rescue operations, Chinese media reported on Sunday, according to Sputnik/RIA Novosti.

The worst snowstorm in recent years for early October began on Saturday on the eastern slope of Everest, with visibility sharply reduced to less than three feet, the Sanxiang Dushibao newspaper reported.

Tourists at Everest Base Camp have been trapped by icy roads and forced to take shelter in tents, the report said. In some areas, the snowfall was so heavy that the tents were completely buried and draw-geared yaks were unable to move, according to the report.

Some tourists were able to escape the foul weather on their own, but about 1,000 people may still be trapped on the mountain and in need of help, Sanxiang Dushibao reported. Some suffered hypothermia and are in serious condition, the newspaper said.

Local rescue teams, villagers, and professional guides are currently on the way to the camp, but communication disruptions and deep snow have made rescue efforts extremely difficult, the report said.

Rescuers and locals are deploying heavy equipment to clear the snow to get to the camp, which is located 4,900 metres (16,000 feet) above the sea level, according to the newspaper.

The local authorities are urging anyone planning to visit the area in the near future to refrain from travel for now and to closely monitor official announcements.

Mount Everest, or Chomolungma, is part of the Himalayan mountain range and lies on the border of China and Nepal. Everest is the highest mountain on Earth, standing 8,849 metres above sea level. Everest was first summited in 1953. As many as 13,764 foreign tourists visited Mount Everest from the Chinese side in 2024, the Chinese authorities said. - BERNAMA-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI