Rescuers are struggling to reach at least 200 hikers trapped in a Mount Everest valley by an unexpectedly fierce weekend snowstorm that pounded the mountain with snow and heavy rain, according to Chinese state media CCTV.
About 350 hikers caught in the storm have been guided to safety by rescuers, Reuters reported. They were taken to the small township of Qudang, near the eastern slope of Everest.
A male hiker, 41, reportedly died of hypothermia and acute altitude sickness, according to Xinhua, a Chinese state media outlet.
At 29,032 feet high, Everest is the highest mountain in the world. It’s in the Himalayan mountain range between Nepal and Tibet, an autonomous region of China.
Visitation to the mountain was at its peak season when the storm occurred.
Where are Mount Everest hikers stranded?
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Everest rises across the border between Nepal and China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.
Hundreds of people were visiting the remote valley of Karma, which leads to the eastern Kangshung face of Everest. They were taking advantage of an eight-day National Day holiday in China.
Snowfall in the area began on the evening of Oct. 3 and continued throughout the next day. About 1,000 people were trapped, according to a report from China’s state-backed Jimu News.
Mount Everest hikers stranded after Tibet blizzard
A powerful blizzard struck Mount Everest’s eastern face in Tibet, leaving many trekkers awaiting rescue.
Hundreds of local villagers and rescue teams had were mobilized to help clear snow that was blocking access to areas near the hikers.
Visitation to the mountain was at its peak season when the storm occurred. October typically offers clear skies following the Indian monsoon season. On late Saturday, ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended.
State media did not report whether local guides and support staff accompanying the hiking groups had been located, USA TODAY reported.
Where are climbing camps located on Mount Everest?
Stranded climbers are at risk for hypothermia
For mountain climbers, hypothermia can be extremely dangerous and sometimes fatal if symptoms are not caught in time.
When the body loses heat faster than it generates it, hypothermia can begin. Hypothermia is most frequently caused by exposure to cold water or cold weather. Yet, if a person is not appropriately dressed or is unable to regulate the temperature, prolonged exposure to any environment that is cooler than the body might result in hypothermia.
How many people have died on Mount Everest?
Mount Everest is the mountain with the highest elevation above sea level in the world.
The summit reaches 8,848 meters, or 29,031 feet, above sea level. According to National Geographic, about 374 climbers from 49 countries have scaled the mountain this year.
More than 340 people have died on Mount Everest, according to the Himalayan Database. More than 200 bodies are still on the mountain, left there because of the difficulty, risk, and cost of removing them, the database says.
CONTRIBUTING Michelle Del Rey/USA TODAY
SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Reuters; Himalayan Database
