One rescued climber said they were ‘so lucky’ to get out alive

MORE than 200 hikers are still stranded on Mount Everest after a vicious blizzard hit campsites – with rescuers rushing to save the remaining mountaineers.

Climbers told of their harrowing experiences as they faced being buried by rapidly growing piles of snow 16,000ft above sea level.

Rescuers in snow helping a stranded hiker at night with headlamps.
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Hundreds of rescue workers are racing to save some 200 hikers stranded on Mount EverestCredit: BBC

Villagers and their oxen and horses ascend a snow-covered mountain to rescue hikers.
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Villagers with their oxen and horses ascend the mountain during rescue effortsCredit: AP

Collage of a map of Everest region showing Karma Valley, Mount Everest peak and borders of Nepal and China, a small map of Asia with a red dot on Nepal, and a photo of five hikers.
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Fears are now mounting that the 200 hikers could be stuck for hours longer as authorities race against the clock to reach them.

Hundreds of local villagers and emergency workers are now urgently clearing heaps of snow left by the extreme weather.

Local media initially reported that there were 1,000 stranded climbers – but Chinese state media said on Monday that 350 people had been evacuated while 200 remain trapped.

The freak blizzard struck on Friday evening before it raged through the night into Saturday – leaving hundreds of hikers stuck at choking altitudes.

Treacherous conditions collapsed tents and saw climbers catch hypothermia from the freezing temperatures.

Authorities say the 350 they have rescued so far are in the town of Qudang, China.

Rescue teams are also in contact with the remaining 200 climbers – with some having faced the biting cold for 48 hours.

Hundreds were reportedly stuck in the Karma Valley, on Everest’s eastern slopes in Tibet.

The lesser-known route offers a scenic path to the base of Everest with breathtaking views and is popular with tourists.

One hiker who was evacuated to Qudang township said their guide claimed the weather for October was “not normal”.

They told Reuters: “It was so wet and cold in the mountains, and hypothermia was a real risk… The weather this year is not normal.

“The guide said he had never encountered such weather in October… And it happened all too suddenly.”

Another witness told BBC: “All of us are experienced hikers… But this blizzard was still extremely difficult to deal with. I was so lucky to get out.”

The situation has also been complicated by the high volume of tourists – with China’s Golden Week holiday taking place over the last week.

Access to Everest Scenic Area has been suspended since Saturday due to the intense snow fall.

A group of trekkers in the Himalayas walking through heavy snow and rain.
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At least 200 climbers are still stuckCredit: Reuters

A person in a yellow jacket climbing a snowy, rocky mountain.
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350 people have been rescued so farCredit: X
One person reportedly died in the wake of the sudden blizzard in China’s Qinghai province.

Local media reported that the mountaineer died from hypothermia and altitude sickness on Sunday in the Laohugou area.

Just across the border in Nepal, heavy rains have triggered landslides and flash floods.

The storms have sparked chaos, blocking roads and washing away bridges.

 

It’s not the first time intrepid hikers have been trapped up Everest.

In 2010, around 2,000 tourists and their porters spent five days stuck in a small village over 9,000 ft up a slope because of stormy conditions.

Mountaineers form a queue as they approach the summit of Mount Everest.
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The violent snowstorm hit Everest on Friday 16,000ft above ground (stock)Credit: AP