A freak, climate change-induced October blizzard blindsided hundreds of hikers near the eastern face of Mount Everest. The storm hit Friday night, dumping over three feet of snow.

So far, 350 hikers have been rescued, but over 200 were still stranded as of Monday morning, according to Chinese state media. Rescue teams, villagers, and possibly a few yetis have been working nonstop to dig people out and get them to safety in Qudang, a town located approximately 30 miles from Everest’s Tibetan base camp.

Early October is typically prime time for Everest. Monsoon season is over, so it’s reasonably dry, and it’s just before winter, so temperatures are relatively tame. Things were a little different this time around. A convective snowstorm came tearing through the eastern slope.

Freak October

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