Blizzard Traps Hundreds on Everest in Tibet, Evacuations Underway

A sudden blizzard over the weekend trapped hundreds of trekkers, guides and support staff on the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet, prompting one of the largest search-and-rescue operations in the region and the temporary closure of the Everest scenic area. The storm began on Friday evening and intensified through Saturday, cutting off routes in the remote Karma Valley and burying camps at altitudes above 4,200 to 4,900 metres.

Local authorities and hundreds of villagers and rescue teams moved quickly to clear snow, establish contact and guide exhausted parties to safety. By Sunday about 350 trekkers had reached the nearby township of Qudang, and officials reported that the remaining groups were reached and brought down in stages over the following days. Local government tallies released on Tuesday said about 580 trekkers and more than 300 guides, yak herders and other support personnel had been evacuated safely to Qudang and adjacent areas. Authorities said rescue teams provided food, medicine, heating and oxygen to groups in the field.

Survivors described rapidly deteriorating conditions: tents collapsed under heavy snow, visibility fell and cold, wet conditions made...