A terrible and horrifying blizzard has left hundreds of people stuck high on the world's highest peak, Mount Everest. As concerns for the final 200 hikers trapped in freezing conditions grow, rescue efforts are becoming increasingly desperate.

Survivors shared terrible scenes of tents falling down, snow so thick it blinded them, and temperatures so low they were in danger of being buried alive.

What happened on Mount Everest?

Late Friday, a terrible blizzard hit Mount Everest, causing chaos at many campsites. The storm raged all night and into Saturday, leaving climbers stuck more than 16,000 feet above sea level. As the temperature dropped, many people were afraid that the quickly growing snowdrifts would bury them. One rescued hiker told Reuters, “It was so wet and cold in the mountains, and hypothermia was a real risk... The weather this year is not normal.”

Local officials were worried that as many as 1,000 people were stuck, but later reports showed that about 350 had been saved and 200 were still stuck. The survivors were taken to the nearby town of Qudang, where they are getting medical care and warmth after spending almost 48 hours in the cold, as per a report by The Sun.

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How are the rescuers dealing with the weather?

Emergency workers and villagers have been working nonstop to clear the heavy snow and get to people who are still stuck. It is thought that hundreds of climbers are stuck in the Karma Valley, which is on the eastern slopes of Everest in Tibet. This beautiful but dangerous route is popular with tourists during China's Golden Week holiday, as per a report by The Sun.

Rescue teams say they are still in touch with people who are still on the mountain. But the very high altitude, freezing winds, and weather that changes quickly are still making things go slowly. “The guide said he had never encountered such weather in October... And it happened all too suddenly,” one hiker recalled.

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Are there any casualties reported?

Sadly, one climber died from hypothermia and altitude sickness in China's Qinghai province's Laohugou area after the same storm. In Nepal, on the other side of the border, heavy rains caused landslides and flash floods that blocked roads and washed away bridges.

This most recent disaster on Everest is similar to one that happened in 2010, when severe storms left about 2,000 tourists and their porters stuck at high altitudes for five days. According to a report by The Sun, rescuers are battling against time to rescue those still stuck today, pushing through dangerous snowdrifts in the hopes of bringing everyone down alive.

FAQs

How many hikers are still stuck on Mount Everest?
About 200 climbers are still stuck after the storm.

How many people have been saved so far?
Officials said that 350 climbers have been safely moved to Qudang, China.