Risk of 'traffic jam' on Mount Everest

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Monday, May 1, 2023 09:11 (GMT+7)
09:11 5/1/2023

Nepal has issued a large number of permits to climb Mount Everest this season, leading to concerns of overcrowding in the "death zone".

Nepal has issued a record number of permits to climb Mount Everest this season, despite criticism of traffic congestion in the region known as the "death zone" in recent years, Reuters reported.

So far, Nepal's Ministry of Tourism has approved 463 permits for this year's climbing season, which runs from March to May. That far surpasses the record number of 409 permits set in 2021.

Climbers wait in the "death zone" to summit Everest. Photo: Twitter/@nimsdai .

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world and revenue from climbing Mount Everest is a major part of its financial plan. It is known that the fee to climb Mount Everest is more than 10,000 USD . This means that each climbing season brings in millions of USD for the country.

However, some experts worry that relying on Everest for revenue could come at the expense of safety.

"The challenge climbers face is compounded by the potential for traffic congestion on the climbing route, especially if good weather conditions are few and far between. This can lead to climbers running out of oxygen and facing exhaustion/exposure in the death zone," Garrett Madison, president of Madison Mountaineering, told Reuters.

The "death zone" is a part of a mountaineering route, above 8,000 meters, where oxygen levels are so low that the body's cells begin to die and the climber's judgment is impaired.

In 2019, at least 11 climbers died while attempting to summit Mount Everest, most of them in the "death zone." It was one of the deadliest years ever on Everest, according to ABC News .

However, Nepal's tourism board director Yubaraj Khatiwada said the government was ready for the crowds and was prepared to protect climbers. He told Reuters the government would deploy a team of doctors and staff at the base camp.

“We are concerned for their safety and have made thorough preparations to deal with the crowd situation by breaking up the climbs when the weather is favourable to ensure the climb goes as smoothly as possible,” Khatiwada said.

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