Rescue efforts underway as hundreds remain stranded on Mount Everest

Villagers and rescue workers, with the help of oxen and horses, have helped hundreds of hikers trapped by heavy snow at campsites on the slope of Mount Everest

Hundreds of trekkers stranded by a blizzard on Mount Everest have been guided to safety by rescuers, Chinese state media reported on Sunday.

Chinese media outlet Jimu News had previously reported that roughly 1,000 mountain climbers were trapped at sites just below base camp on the north face of Mount Everest in Tibet.

Reports said that as of Sunday, 350 trekkers had reached the small township of Qudang, while contact with the remaining 200-plus trekkers had been made.

The climbers had been stranded following unusually heavy rain and snow across the Himalayas.

Visitors to the area were in the hundreds this week, as many sought to take advantage of an eight-day national holiday in China.

Hundreds of local villagers and rescue teams had been deployed to help remove snow blocking access to the area, according to an earlier report by state-backed Jimu News.

But efforts have been hampered by persistent heavy snow and winds. Local tour companies said snowfall had been continuous since Friday, and ticket sales were suspended to the area on Sunday afternoon.

Neighbouring Nepal has also faced severe rainfall, which has triggered landslides, lightning strikes and flooding, killing at least 44 people.