Himalayan Storm Traps Trekkers, Kills Dozens in Nepal

News Desk

Beijing/Kathmandu: Hundreds of trekkers in Tibet’s Everest region were stranded over the weekend after an unseasonal blizzard swept through the Karma valley, forcing large-scale rescue operations amid unusually heavy snow and rainfall across the Himalayas.

Chinese state media reported that around 350 trekkers had safely reached the small township of Qudang, while rescuers had made contact with more than 200 others still in the mountains. Local authorities and villagers assisted trekking groups, which had flocked to the area during China’s eight-day National Day holiday.

“It was so wet and cold in the mountains, and hypothermia was a real risk,” said Chen Geshuang, part of an 18-member trekking team that descended to Qudang. “The guide said he had never encountered such weather in October. And it happened all too suddenly.”

The severe weather, which began Friday evening at elevations averaging 4,200 metres (13,800 feet), disrupted what is usually a peak trekking season with clear skies and stable conditions.

The Karma valley, leading to Everest’s eastern Kangshung face, is a remote and largely untouched area, known for lush alpine forests fed by glacier meltwaters.

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The blizzard coincided with heavy rainfall in Nepal, causing landslides and flash floods that have killed at least 50 people since Friday. In Nepal’s eastern Ilam district, 37 people died in separate landslides, while a South Korean trekker perished on Mera Peak at 6,476 metres (21,246 feet). His guide was rescued.

Authorities in Tibet deployed hundreds of local villagers and rescue teams to clear snow-blocked paths and guide stranded trekkers to safety. State broadcaster CCTV reported that remaining trekkers would arrive in Qudang in stages, though it was unclear whether all local guides and support staff had been accounted for.

Experts say the sudden Himalayan storms reflect a growing pattern of unpredictable and extreme weather in the region, heightening risks for trekkers and local communities alike.

October is typically a season of stable weather in the high Himalayas, but climate variability is increasingly affecting both safety and tourism in these remote areas.

The incident underscores the need for enhanced preparedness for trekking groups and more robust early-warning systems across the Himalayan belt, spanning China, Nepal, and northern India.