Hundreds of trekkers stranded by a sudden blizzard near the eastern face of Mount Everest in Tibet have been rescued and guided to safety, news agency Reuters reported on Monday. China’s state broadcaster CCTV said about 350 trekkers had reached the township of Qudang, while contact had been made with more than 200 others. CCTV’s Monday evening news bulletin did not provide further updates. Videos shared by Tibetan media showed trekkers being welcomed with hot soup in a community hall before boarding buses to leave the area. 🚨 CHILLING DRAMA ON EVEREST: Nearly 1,000 hikers trapped at 5,000m on Tibet’s slopes by freak October blizzard! Tents buried, visibility zero—hypothermia & altitude sickness hitting hard. 1 dead, 350 rescued, 600+ still stranded. Heroes racing against the storm. pic.twitter.com/U8NPpTKbbq— Svilen Georgiev (@siscostwo) October 6, 2025 Many tourists had travelled to the remote Karma valley, which leads to the eastern Kangshung face of Everest, during China’s eight-day National Day holiday. “It was so wet and cold in the mountains, and hypothermia was a real risk,” said Chen Geshuang, a member of an 18-person trekking team that made it to Qudang, according to 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.” Chen’s group returned to safety on Sunday after spending a difficult night in heavy snow, thunder and lightning. Villagers greeted them with sweet tea as they reached lower ground. State-backed Jimu News earlier reported that nearly 1,000 people had been trapped by the storm. Hundreds of villagers and rescue workers were deployed to clear the snow and open access roads. CCTV said the remaining trekkers would reach Qudang in stages with help from rescuers organised by local authorities. The report did not confirm whether local guides and support staff had all been located. Snow began falling in the valley, which sits about 13,800 feet above sea level, on Friday evening and continued through Saturday. “It was raining and snowing every day, and we did not see Everest at all,” said trekker Eric Wen, whose 18-member group decided on Saturday night to turn back from their final campsite. “We only had a few tents. More than 10 of us were in one large tent and hardly slept,” Wen told Reuters. “We had to clear the snow every 10 minutes. Otherwise, our tents would have collapsed.” Wen said three members of his team suffered hypothermia as temperatures fell below freezing, but all were later safe. His group included eight guides and several yak handlers. Karma valley, first explored by Western travellers a century ago, is known for its dense forests and meltwater streams from the Kangshung glacier. It contrasts with Everest’s drier north face, which attracts many visitors due to easier road access. It was not clear if any trekkers near the north face were affected by the storm. In neighbouring Nepal, heavy rains triggered landslides and flash floods that killed at least 50 people since Friday, authorities said. Thirty-seven deaths were reported in the eastern Ilam district near the Indian border. Tulsi Gurung, president of the Nepal National Mountain Guides Association, told Reuters that a South Korean trekker died while climbing the 6,476-metre (21,246-foot) Mera Peak on Saturday. His guide was rescued.
