Mount Everest Turns Deadly as Nearly 1,000 Trapped by Sudden Snowstorm

Rescue efforts are underway at the famed Mount Everest, where nearly 1,000 people were trapped by a powerful snowstorm.

Chinese state media reports that hundreds of local villagers and emergency crews are battling harsh weather conditions to rescue those caught in the storm. The area, located more than 16,000 feet above sea level, has become almost unreachable due to blocked mountain passes.

So far, around 350 people have been rescued and taken to the small town of Qudang. Survivors describe terrifying conditions.

“It was so wet and cold – hypothermia was a real risk,” said Chen Geshuang, part of a trekking group that made it to safety. “The weather this year is not normal. The guide said he had never encountered such weather in October. And it happened all too suddenly.”

Rescue teams reported collapsed tents and early signs of hypothermia among stranded hikers. In response, local tourism authorities have shut down ticket sales and access to the Everest Scenic Area.

This brutal weather event is part of a larger crisis in the region. Nepal is dealing with flash floods and landslides that have killed at least 47, while Typhoon Matmo forced over 150,000 people in China to evacuate.

Despite its allure, Everest continues to remind the world of its dangers, especially when nature strikes without warning. It’s unclear if any of those trapped were from the U.S., though the mountain typically attracts several hundred American climbers each year.

Hundreds of trekkers stranded by a blizzard near the eastern face of Mount Everest in Tibet were guided to safety by rescuers, as unusually heavy snow and rainfall pummeled the Himalayas https://t.co/3GqKyh4C3Y pic.twitter.com/SVBS5QmDWC

— Reuters (@Reuters) October 5, 2025