Avalanche traps trekkers near Everest’s Eastern Slopes in Tibet; Rescue ops underway

October 6, 2025

New Delhi: Nearly 1,000 trekkers were trapped in a fierce avalanche in Tibet’s Mount Everest region on Sunday. Rescuers pulled several trekkers to safety after they were trapped in the avalanche, which was triggered by unusually heavy snowfall and rain in the Himalayas.

As of Sunday, 350 trekkers had reached the small town of Kudang, while more than 200 others had been contacted, Reuters reported, citing Chinese state media.

Hundreds of local villagers and rescue teams were deployed to help clear snow-blocked access to the area, where about 1,000 people were trapped, according to an earlier report by state-backed Jimu News.

The visuals showed overcast skies as trekkers waded through knee-deep snow and strong winds, which are unusual conditions for October.

“It was very wet and cold in the mountains, and hypothermia was a real danger,” Reuters reported, citing a trekker who arrived in Kudang township. He added that the weather this year is not normal and his guide said he had never faced such terrible weather in October.

“Back in the village, we had food and finally warmed up,” the trekker added.

The remaining trekkers will reach Kudang in stages under the guidance and assistance of rescue workers organized by the local government.

Heavy snowfall began on Friday
Heavy snowfall began on Friday evening and intensified on the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet, a popular area among climbers and hikers, news agency PTI reported.

The valley is located at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet).

The CCTV report did not say whether the trekking parties’ local guides and support staff were accounted for. The Reuters report added that it was also not clear whether trekkers near the north face of Everest, which is also in Tibet, were affected.

The north face of the 8,849-meter-high Mount Everest, also known as Mount Qomolangma in China, regularly attracts large numbers of tourists due to its easy access by paved road. October is peak season on the world’s highest mountain peak, when the skies are usually clear at the end of the Indian monsoon.

This year, the mountains, especially the remote Karma Valley, which leads to Everest’s eastern Kangshung Face, saw a small influx of trekkers who took advantage of China’s eight-day National Day holiday, and kept busy with activities.

The continuous snowfall was accompanied by heavy rains that brought heavy rains to neighboring Nepal and parts of India and caused landslides and flash floods that resulted in several deaths and injured many more.