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Hikers have recounted facing "harsh" conditions after an unseasonable blizzard during one of China's most crowded festive periods trapped hundreds of individuals on Mount Everest, sparking a large-scale rescue operation.

Evacuation Efforts Underway

Officials in China reported that around 350 individuals had made their way down but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, located to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibet side of the border.

Crowds of visitors had journeyed to the area for "Golden Week," an week-long holiday period in China. However, local officials, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said heavy snowfall had hit the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping numerous of individuals at tent sites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the most extreme weather I've experienced in all my hiking experiences, without question," a Chinese trekker said on social media, detailing a "violent convective snowstorm on the east face" of Everest.

"I looked up in the late hours and noticed that the snow had almost covered the peak," shared a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the initial instance I truly felt the terror of being buried alive."

Personal Accounts

One Chinese trekker said their party had been "too scared to sleep" on that night as snow quickly piled up around their shelters, forcing them to clear it hourly. They decided to go down on the next day as the conditions deteriorated.

"During the descent, we met our guide’s parent who had come looking for him. It was then we learned the snow was heavy in the valley as well; locals, unable to contact their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The northern and eastern side of Everest is easier to reach than locations on the Nepal side of the border and draws high numbers of visitors for less technical trekking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Online Documentation

Images and footage shared on the internet depicted tents covered by snow and lines of trekkers walking through waist-high snowbanks to descend the mountain.

"It was very deep, and the trail extremely slippery. Trekkers often slipped – a few tumbled, some were jostled by pack animals," said one, who clarified that all safely descended and were picked up by bus.

Current Status

By the weekend, about 350 people had reached Qudang, a small town about 30 miles away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," state media reported.

At least 200 additional were still stranded but had been contacted, the updates indicated. Local news reported that scores of rescuers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from obstructing the way out.

There was minimal updates or new details about the operation on the following day. Uncertainty remained if the storm had impacted individuals on the north face of Everest, within the same region. The area is tightly controlled by the authorities, and media entry is restricted. The weather also appears to have have affected local communications, with calls to local businesses not connecting. A number of hikers said power was out in Qudang when they reached the town.

Weather Patterns

October is a peak season for the area, with usually calm and pleasant weather, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 members of a trekking group that returned to Qudang, commented that the climate this year was "unusual."

"The guide said he had not experienced such weather in October. And it occurred very abruptly."

The local tourism authority announced admissions and access to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from the weekend.

Regional Impact

Adjacent nations were also hit by severe conditions. Heavy rains triggered mudslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, washed away bridges, and killed at least 47 people since Friday in Nepal.