Rescue of 350 Tourists After They Were Trapped by Snow in the Deadly 'Everest Storm'

Chinese state media announced that around 350 tourists were rescued from the Tibetan side of Mount Everest after a powerful snowstorm hit the area over the weekend, in an incident described as one of the harshest weather disasters of the season.

Reports indicated that rescue teams were able to reach the group and safely transport them to the nearest settlement known as Choudang, after long hours of work in harsh weather conditions.

Previous reports had indicated that around a thousand people were trapped at an altitude of about 4,900 meters on the eastern side of the mountain, where their tents were partially damaged due to strong winds and heavy snow that led to the closure of access roads to the site.

The government news platform "Jimu News" reported injuries among the trapped, while no confirmed information about fatalities has been received so far.

The local tourism company "Tengri County Tourism" mentioned on its WeChat account that the snowfall began on Friday evening and continued until Saturday, prompting authorities to suspend ticket sales and entry to the Everest area from Saturday evening until further notice.

On the other side of the border, police in Nepal stated that heavy rains and landslides accompanying the storm have resulted in the deaths of at least 47 people since Friday, in addition to the destruction of roads and bridges and the closure of vital mountain passes.

Additionally, 35 people died in scattered landslides in the Ilam area of eastern Nepal near the border with India, while nine people were reported missing after being swept away by floods, and three others were killed by lightning strikes in various parts of the country.