A South Korean climber has perished in Nepal after being caught in a powerful tempest while attempting to ascend a Himalayan peak situated just south of Mount Everest. Concurrently, hundreds of trekkers have begun evacuations after extreme weather conditions left them stranded across the region.
The Nepal Mountaineering Association confirmed the climber’s demise on Tuesday. He had been reported missing over the weekend near the summit of Mera Peak, a 21,250-foot mountain in the northern Himalayas. Other climbers on the mountain were reported to be safe.
This unfortunate incident occurred as heavy snowfall and rain isolated hundreds of hikers near Everest. One trekker, identified only by the surname Dong, recounted to China’s Xiaoxiang Morning Herald that he had never witnessed such a severe storm, describing intense snow and lightning.
By late Monday, 350 individuals had safely descended, while over 200 others were being guided to a designated assembly point, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
The stranded individuals had been camping at elevations above 16,000 feet. Mount Everest, which reaches 29,000 feet, straddles the border between China and Nepal. The Chinese sector of Everest is situated at the southern edge of Tibet.
In a separate development, search teams were combing the Qilian Mountains in Qinghai province on Tuesday following another fatal storm. One hiker died from hypothermia and altitude sickness, and 213 others have been evacuated from the rugged area since Sunday.
Many had entered this remote locale after encountering its promotion on social media platforms, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
Search operations, deploying drones among other tools, were initiated Sunday after hikers reported being trapped in Laohugou, a valley in Menyuan county. The high-altitude search—at more than 13,100 feet—has been hindered by difficult terrain, continuous snowfall, and rapidly shifting weather, state media reported.