Over 200 trekkers are currently being evacuated after a fierce snowstorm struck the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibetan region, leaving them trapped at high-altitude campsites, Chinese state media reports. Earlier, around 350 hikers had made it to relative safety in a local township, while rescue teams maintained contact with those still stranded.

The affected area is the Karma Valley, which leads to the Kangshung face of Everest, and lies at an average altitude of about 4,200 metres. The storm developed on Friday evening and persisted through Saturday, dumping heavy snow and rainfall and blocking key trails.

Rescue operations began in stages involving hundreds of local villagers, volunteers, and emergency teams. Some relied on horses and oxen to clear paths obstructed by snow. Evacuees were reported gathering in the small township of Qudang, where they were provided with hot food and shelter before transport to safer zones. Chinese authorities have suspended entry to the Everest“scenic area” while emergency teams continue operations.

Survivors described brutal weather conditions, including snow accumulation of up to one metre in places, relentless blizzards, and collapsing tents. One trekker from an 18-member group spoke of clearing snow every ten minutes to avoid tents being crushed. Several trekkers experienced hypothermia after enduring freezing temperatures through the night, despite carrying adequate gear.

At least one fatality has been reported: a hiker died in western China from hypothermia and altitude sickness, as officials evacuated over 130 others from the region. Meanwhile, in Nepal, heavy monsoon-remnant rains have triggered landslides and flash floods that have claimed dozens of lives, creating parallel humanitarian crises in the Himalayas.

Meteorologists and mountain tourism experts say such extreme October storms are anomalous for this region, which typically experiences drier, more stable conditions in the late autumn window. Overcrowding is also a factor: the number of trekkers in the Karma Valley ballooned during China's eight-day National Day holiday, placing added pressure on rescue resources. Guides quoted by survivors said they had never encountered conditions like this in October.

Officials have not yet disclosed the total number of support staff-guides, porters, local aides-affected by the storm, though they are believed to accompany many trekking groups. The Tibetan regional government has not issued a public statement so far, and authorities on the Nepal side say no climbers were impacted on that front.

As evacuations progress, the scale of the operation is being closely monitored by international mountaineering and disaster-response agencies, which warn of mounting risks if severe weather persists.

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