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Everest Blizzard Traps Nearly 1,000 on Tibet’s Slopes as Rescuers Guide Hundreds to Safety

Staged evacuations are underway due to deep snow blocking access to high camps.

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Base Camp Everest Nepal. (Photo by David Cheskin/PA Images via Getty Images)
A Nepali man rescues an elderly woman from a flooded area in Kathmandu, Nepal, on October 4, 2025. Residential areas along the riverbanks of Kathmandu are inundated due to the continued influence of moisture-laden monsoon winds from the Bay of Bengal, which trigger heavy rainfall in parts of the Himalayan nation. In Nepal, the monsoon is particularly influenced by the Bay of Bengal, making it a major driver of monsoon-related disasters. During the four months of the monsoon season, starting from June to September, Nepal typically receives around 80% of its annual average rainfall of 1,600 mm, sometimes reaching up to 1,800 mm. Nepal ranks second after Bangladesh in South Asia and 20th globally in multi-hazard disaster risk. According to the 2019 Asian Development Bank report, floods alone cause an average annual loss exceeding USD 140 million, accounting for 1.4% of Nepal's GDP. (Photo by Subaas Shrestha/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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Overview

  • Chinese state media report that about 350 trekkers have reached Qudang and contact has been made with more than 200 others, with further groups descending in stages.
  • Those trapped were concentrated in the Karma Valley leading to the Kangshung face at roughly 4,200–4,900 meters, where the storm intensified from Friday into Saturday.
  • Hundreds of local villagers and Tibet’s Blue Sky Rescue teams are clearing blocked routes, but heavy snow and wind have kept roads and trails impassable.
  • Collapsed tents and cases of hypothermia were reported, and officials have not confirmed any fatalities on the Tibetan side so far.
  • Tingri County suspended ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area, as Nepal to the south reported at least 47 deaths from landslides and flooding linked to severe rainfall.