An unseasonably early and severe snowstorm swept through mountainous regions of western China over a national holiday week, leaving one hiker dead and stranding hundreds of others in separate incidents. The extreme weather, which included heavy snow, rain, and lightning, struck popular hiking areas in the Tibet region and Qinghai province, prompting major rescue operations at high altitudes.
The severe weather hit during a weeklong national holiday in China, a peak period for domestic tourism when many people visit national parks and scenic sites. The unexpected blizzard trapped hundreds of hikers at a base camp on Mount Everest, while another group was caught in the Qilian Mountains, leading to a fatality. The incidents highlighted the dangers of unpredictable weather in high-altitude environments, especially in remote areas that have gained popularity through social media.
Hundreds Trapped on Mount Everest
A large group of hikers was stranded over the weekend at a campsite on the Tibetan side of Mount Everest after a fierce storm dumped heavy snow. The tourists were staying in tents at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet) when the storm began on a Saturday afternoon and intensified dramatically overnight. One hiker, identified only by the surname Dong, described the event as an intense snow and rainstorm with severe lightning, unlike anything he had previously experienced.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that as of late Monday, 350 people had managed to descend from the mountain. Rescue efforts were underway to guide more than 200 others to a designated meeting point. Reports indicated that the snow was one meter deep in places, burying tents. Local villagers assisted in the rescue, using horses and oxen to help clear a path through the deep snow for the stranded hikers. The scenic area at Mount Everest was temporarily closed following the incident.
Fatality in Qilian Mountains
In a separate incident, another group of hikers was caught in the snowstorm in the Qilian Mountains in Qinghai province. Search and rescue teams were dispatched on Sunday after receiving reports that hikers were trapped in a remote valley known as Laohugou. By Tuesday, authorities confirmed that 213 hikers had been evacuated from the area.
One person in the group died from a combination of hypothermia and altitude sickness. The search operations, which involved drones, were conducted at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters (13,100 feet). Rescue efforts were hampered by the difficult terrain, ongoing snowfall, and rapidly changing weather conditions. According to the official Xinhua News Agency, many of the hikers had been attracted to the undeveloped, remote area after seeing it promoted on social media. The Menyuan county government subsequently issued a notice prohibiting hiking in the area, stating the hikers had entered an illegal zone.
Wider Weather Impact
The early-season snowstorm affected other parts of western China as well. In the northwestern Xinjiang region, the Kanas scenic area was closed on Tuesday after a snowstorm on Sunday stranded motorists on a highway near the Kazakhstan border. State media reported that the road had been cleared by Monday. The vast western region of China is dominated by the Tibetan plateau, which is known for its high-altitude, mountainous terrain and is the source of several major Asian rivers.
Related Incident in Nepal
The same weather system appeared to contribute to a death in neighboring Nepal. A South Korean climber died after being caught in the storm while ascending Mera Peak, a 6,476-meter (21,250-foot) mountain in the Himalayan range south of Everest. The climber was reported missing over the weekend, and the Nepal Mountaineering Association confirmed the death on Tuesday. Other climbers on that mountain were reported to be safe.