CaliToday (06/10/2025): A desperate, large-scale rescue operation is underway in the Tibetan Himalayas after a sudden and ferocious blizzard has trapped nearly 1,000 climbers, Sherpa guides, and support staff on the formidable eastern face of Mount Everest. The situation, rapidly developing into one of the largest high-altitude crises in recent memory, has sparked an urgent response from Chinese authorities.
The climbers and their teams were caught off guard by the storm's unforeseen intensity, which struck with little warning during what is typically the tail end of the post-monsoon climbing season. They are now stranded on the Kangshung Face, a remote and technically challenging route known among mountaineers for its steep glaciers and high avalanche risk.
Reports from the main base camp, before communication became sporadic, painted a grim picture of hurricane-force winds, heavy snowfall, and complete whiteout conditions. The immediate and life-threatening concerns for the nearly 1,000 individuals, who are believed to be hunkered down in tents at various altitudes, are severe frostbite, hypothermia, and the depletion of essential supplies.
"This is a nightmare scenario," said Mingma Tenzing, a veteran mountaineer familiar with the region. "The Kangshung side is isolated. You don't have the same infrastructure as the more popular routes. Fuel to melt snow for water will be the first critical issue, followed closely by food and oxygen for those at higher camps."
Chinese emergency services have mobilized elite high-altitude search-and-rescue teams. A fleet of helicopters is on standby, but the ongoing blizzard has made air operations impossible, grounding all flights and leaving ground teams as the only hope for now. These ground teams are facing a perilous and slow ascent in treacherous conditions, battling the same elements that have trapped the climbers.
The international mountaineering community is watching in horror, with expedition companies from around the world scrambling for information about their clients and staff. As the storm continues to rage, it has become a harrowing race against time, pitting the resilience and preparedness of those trapped against the raw, unforgiving power of the world's highest peak. The fate of nearly a thousand souls now hangs precariously in the balance, high above the clouds on the icy slopes of Everest.