Rescue efforts are under way on the slopes of Mount Everest after a snow storm left almost 1,000 trekkers trapped on the mountain, according to Chinese state media.
Some tourists, who were trapped on the eastern face of the Tibetan slopes, have now been guided to safety by rescuers, Chinese state media, Jimu News, reported.
Villagers and rescue teams have been deployed to help clear the snow blocking access to the area which sits at an altitude of more than 4,900 metres (16,000 feet).
Visitors to the remote valley of Karma, which leads to the eastern Kangshung face of Everest, were in the hundreds this week, taking advantage of an eight-day National Day holiday in China.
However, heavy snowfall began on Friday evening and continued throughout Saturday.
The weather forced ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area to be suspended from late Saturday, according to the local Tingri County Tourism Company.
Tibet’s Blue Sky Rescue team had received a call for help saying that tents had collapsed due to heavy snow, and that some hikers were suffering from hypothermia.
The rescue mission started earlier on Sunday with 350 trekkers reaching the small township of Qudang, while contact with the remaining 200-plus trekkers had been made, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.
The remaining trekkers will arrive in Qudang in stages under the guidance and assistance of rescuers organised by the local government, CCTV added.
It comes as the region faces extreme weather and neighbouring Nepal has been battered by heavy rains which caused flash floods and landslides killing 47 people in the last two days.
Thirty-five people died in separate landslides in the eastern Ilam district bordering India. Nine people were reported missing after being swept away by floodwaters and three others were killed in lightning strikes elsewhere in the country.
In China, about 150,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes due to destruction caused by Typhoon Matmo.
