Mount Everest rescue teams battle snow to save hikers

Dubai: Hundreds of hikers were trapped on the slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet after a fierce snowstorm struck during China’s weeklong national holiday, state media reported on Monday.

According to CCTV, around 350 hikers managed to reach a meeting point in Tingri county, while rescuers maintained contact with another 200 still stranded at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet). Rescue operations continued overnight, though no new updates were issued Monday morning.

The snowstorm struck at the peak of China’s National Day holiday, when domestic travel typically surges. Mount Everest—known in China as Mount Qomolangma—sits on the border between China and Nepal, where recent heavy rains have also caused deadly landslides and flooding.

Earlier this year, the same region was hit by a powerful earthquake that killed at least 126 people, further underscoring the fragility of the Himalayan terrain.

With inputs from Agencies