Thousands of trekkers are trapped in a powerful icy storm near the eastern slope of Mount Everest in Tibet. Out of these, about 350 trekkers have been taken to safe places by the rescue team. China’s state media gave this information on Sunday. The arrival of icy storm in the Himalayan region in this season is a very rare incident. It is considered the most suitable time for Everest trekking.
But the unseasonal snowfall has disrupted the trekking activity and has to start an emergency rescue operation on a large scale. According to the Chinese Broadcaster CCTV, by Sunday, about 350 trekkers had reached Kudang Township, while contact with 200 other trekkers of hundreds of trackers in the region has been established. Rescue teams are engaged in the task of taking them down safely.
China has an 8 -day national holiday. During this time a large number of tourists arrived in the Karma Valley for trekking, which goes towards the eastern Kangshung of Mount Everest. After unusually heavy snowfall and rain in the region at the end of last week, this beautiful valley- which is famous for the panoramic views of Everest’s eastern ridge, became dangerous. Chain Geshuang, who went to trekking here with a team of 18 trekkers, was taken by the rescue team to Kudang.
Geshuang said in a conversation with the news agency Reuters, ‘There was a lot of moisture and cold, and there was a danger of hypothermia. This year’s weather is uncommon. A guide told me that he never saw such a weather in October. And it happened very suddenly. The area started snowfall late on Friday night and continued till Saturday, which covered an area with an altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 ft). Chen told that his team spent a terrible night in the camp amid snow, thunder and lightning.
Hundreds of local people are working with the rescue teams to remove snow from the trekking route and take the hikers to safe places. According to Jimu News, more than 1,000 hikers were trapped in the icy storm, out of which hundreds have been taken to safe places and the remaining hikers are also being rescued. The Tingari County Tourism Company, giving priority to security and caution, suspended the entire Everest Siteing area access from late Saturday and stopped the sale of tickets.
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