Close to 1,000 Individuals Trapped on the World's Highest Peak Slopes
Search and rescue missions are under way on the distant Tibetan side of Everest, where a severe winter storm has blocked close to a thousand individuals in temporary shelters on the east side of the peak.
Hundreds community members and response units have been dispatched to clear out snow preventing passage to the area, which sits at an elevation of more than 4,900 metres.
Several tourists have been evacuated successfully from the dangerous location.
Intense snow began on Friday night and has worsened on the east side of the peak in the Tibetan region, an location popular with climbers and hikers.
Authorities confirm that tents had collapsed due to the snow accumulation, and several individuals were showing symptoms of low body temperature.
Admission tickets and admission to the Mount Everest scenic zone have been suspended starting Saturday.
The zone is undergoing harsh climate, with adjacent Nepal being battered by intense rainfall that have caused mudslides and rapid floods, destroying crossings and claiming the lives of at least 47 people in the recent two-day period.
In the region, Typhoon Matmo has made landfall, requiring around 150,000 individuals to evacuate from their residences.
Everest is the planet's tallest mountain at more than 29,032 feet. Even though many people try to ascend the peak annually, it is seen as an highly perilous expedition.
In recent years, it has been plagued with concerns of overcrowding, environmental concerns, and a string of deadly expeditions.
