Emergency teams are racing to rescue stranded climbers after a powerful snowstorm struck Mount Everest’s Tibetan side, trapping tourists at campsites 16,000 feet above ground.
The storm began Friday night and continued through Saturday, and has dumped over a metre of snow, crushing tents and blocking descent routes.
While no deaths have yet been confirmed, several climbers have developed hypothermia amid freezing temperatures.
Ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area have been suspended as locals join rescue teams in clearing paths. The disaster coincides with deadly weather across Nepal, where landslides and flash floods have killed at least 47 people, with dozens more missing or injured. Authorities have declared two national holidays to aid recovery efforts as heavy rain warnings remain in place across more than a dozen districts.
Image credit: Martin Jernburg
Was just wondering if the experienced tour operators realised that on an 8.4 k high mountain there may be a chance of erratic weather systems passing by. Sounds like negligence to me.