Unseasonal Snow Halts Everest Tourism; Helicopter Crashes in Rescue Effort

Tourism was brought to a halt on both the Nepali and Chinese sides of the Mount Everest region as unseasonal heavy snow blanketed the area, leading to the grounding of trekking activities on Wednesday. Thousands of trekkers and climbers have been affected by adverse weather conditions since Monday when a cyclone hit from the Bay of Bengal.

In a dramatic turn of events, a private helicopter attempting to rescue stranded trekkers near the Everest Base Camp crashed during landing, according to Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority. The helicopter slipped on heavy snow, landing on its side. Remarkably, the pilot survived and was rescued shortly after; however, the fate of the trekkers remains uncertain.

Severe weather conditions are forecasted to continue as Cyclone Montha progresses, posing additional challenges for authorities and rescuers. In Tibet, freezing temperatures and icy roads have halted vehicular movement and suspended ticket sales to Mount Everest attractions. Both regions brace for further disruptions.