Overview

• A sudden early-October blizzard on the mountain’s eastern flanks buried camps, collapsed tents and left groups stranded at roughly 4,200–4,900 meters with reports of hypothermia risks.
• Rescuers, including Tibet’s Blue Sky Rescue team, have escorted about 350 people to safety in Qudang while hundreds more are being located and guided down in stages, according to Chinese state media and the BBC.
• Local authorities have closed the Everest scenic area, suspended ticket sales and shut nearby tourist sites in Tingri county as crews work to clear snowed-in roads and restore access.
• High altitude, fierce winds and poor visibility are limiting helicopter options and forcing overland evacuations on blocked trails in difficult terrain.
• The storm coincides with China’s Golden Week holiday and broader regional severe weather, with separate reports of deadly landslides and floods in Nepal and India.