Web Desk; Rescue operations were underway on Sunday to reopen access routes to campsites on the eastern slope of Mount Everest in Tibet, where nearly 1,000 people have been stranded by a powerful blizzard that blocked roads, Chinese state media reported.
Hundreds of local residents and rescue workers have been mobilised to clear the snow and restore passage to the high-altitude area, which lies at more than 4,900 metres above sea level, according to Jimu News. Some tourists have already been escorted down from the mountain, the report added.
The heavy snowfall began on Friday evening and continued throughout Saturday. Authorities suspended ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area late Saturday, according to official notices shared on the WeChat account of the Tingri County Tourism Company.
Meanwhile, across the border in Nepal, relentless rains triggered deadly landslides and flash floods that have blocked roads, destroyed bridges and claimed at least 47 lives since Friday, according to police.
Thirty-five deaths were reported in separate landslides in the eastern Ilam district, which borders India. Nine people were swept away by floodwaters and remain missing, while three others died after being struck by lightning in different parts of the country.
