200 climbers stranded on Everest: massive rescue operation ongoing.

Over 200 tourists stranded on Everest

According to The Sun: On the peaks of the Himalayas, notably Mount Everest, over 200 people have been trapped due to a brutal snowstorm that has hit the camps. Rescuers are urgently trying to save the climbers.

Travelers are sharing frightening memories of how they could be buried under rapidly growing snowdrifts at an altitude of 16,000 feet.

AP

There are growing fears that the 200 travelers may be trapped for a long time as rescue services try to reach them.

Thousands of locals and emergency service members are urgently clearing large piles of snow left by severe weather conditions.

Initially, local media reported that 1,000 climbers were stranded, but Chinese state media noted on Monday that 350 people have already been evacuated, and 200 remain trapped.

The blizzard began on Friday evening and continued all night into Saturday, leaving many climbers at altitudes where breathing became difficult.

Dangerous conditions destroyed tents, forcing climbers to risk hypothermia from the cold.

The authorities reported that 350 people who had already been rescued are in the town of Gyudang, China. Rescue teams are also in contact with the remaining 200 climbers, some of whom have already faced piercing cold for 48 hours.

Many of them ended up in the Karma Valley, on the slopes of Everest in Tibet. This lesser-known route offers a scenic path to the base of Everest with breathtaking views and is popular among tourists.

One climber evacuated to Gyudang noted that their guide claimed that the weather in October is 'not normal.'

They told Reuters: 'It was so wet and cold in the mountains, and the risk of hypothermia was actually real... The weather this year is abnormal. The guide said he had never encountered weather like this in October... And it happened too suddenly.'

Another witness told the BBC: 'We are all experienced climbers... But this blizzard was extraordinarily severe. I was lucky to get out.'

The situation is complicated by the large number of tourists, as last week was China's Golden Week.

Access to Everest has been suspended since Saturday due to intense snowfall.

Reuters X

One casualty has been reported associated with the sudden blizzard in China's Qinghai province. Local media reported that a climber died from hypothermia and altitude sickness in the Laohugou area.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the border in Nepal, heavy rains have caused landslides and flash floods. Storms have caused chaos, blocking roads and destroying bridges.

This is not the first time climbers have been trapped on Everest. In 2010, about 2,000 tourists and their porters were stranded for five days in a small village at an altitude of over 9,000 feet due to severe weather conditions.

AP As the snowfall continues, rescue services are working to ensure the safety of tourists. The situation on Everest remains critical, and rescuers are making every effort to find and save the stranded travelers. The evacuation process may take a long time, given the challenging weather conditions and geographical obstacles.