Hundreds of Hikers Rescued at Everest

UPDATE Oct 8, 2025 12:00 AM CDT

The hundreds of hikers, guides, and other staff stranded when a sudden storm struck the Chinese side of Mount Everest over the weekend are now safe. About 350 of the stranded, which included 580 hikers and more than 300 guides in total, had descended by noon Monday, and the rest by Tuesday, the AP reports. Some had hypothermia and were met by rescuers with medical supplies.

Oct 6, 2025 12:30 AM CDT

Rescue operations are in full swing on the Tibetan side of Mount Everest after a sudden snowstorm stranded nearly 1,000 people at high-altitude campsites. Chinese state media report that teams of rescuers and local villagers are working to clear heavy snow blocking access to the remote region, which sits at an altitude of over 16,000 feet, the BBC reports.

So far, about 350 individuals have been led to safety in the township of Qudang, but hundreds more remain in need of assistance, the AP reports. The blizzard began Friday night and quickly intensified, catching climbers and hikers off guard. One survivor, Chen Geshuang, told Reuters that conditions were so frigid and wet that hypothermia became a genuine threat, adding that local guides had never seen such extreme October weather. Many were visiting the area during a weeklong Chinese national holiday.

story continues below

Rescue officials say collapsing tents and cases of hypothermia have complicated efforts. Blue Sky Rescue, a local team, received emergency calls as conditions worsened. In response, authorities suspended ticket sales and closed entry to Everest's scenic area. The situation on Everest is part of a wider pattern of extreme weather in the region. Neighboring Nepal has been hit by torrential rain, triggering deadly landslides and floods, while Typhoon Matmo has forced 150,000 evacuations in China.