Blizzard traps nearly 1,000 people on Tibetan side of Mount Everest
Rescue attempts are ongoing after a blizzard entrapped nearly 1,000 people on Tibet's portion of Mount Everest, with campsites and roads blocked off as a result, according to media reports.
A blizzard that swept through parts of Tibet has trapped nearly 1,000 people on the eastern side of Mount Everest, according to local media reports in China.
The snowfall, which began on Friday evening and continued through Saturday, blocked roads and access to the campsites on Tibet's eastern slope of the mountain, where the people were staying.
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Rescue efforts to free the folks are currently underway, Reuters reported. According to Jimu News, hundreds of local villagers and rescue teams were dispatched to assist with removing snow that has blocked access to the area, which is situated at an altitude exceeding 4,900 metres (16,000 feet).
Some of the tourists on the mountain have been freed and brought back to safety, it stated.
The Tingri County Tourism Company issued a statement that said ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended on late Saturday.
With files from Reuters.
Thumbnail courtesy of Feng Wei Photography/ Moment/ Getty Images.