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Trekkers have described facing "harsh" situations after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends trapped hundreds of individuals on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue effort.

Rescue Operations In Progress

Chinese authorities reported that around 350 individuals had descended safely but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the east of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Crowds of tourists had journeyed to the area for "Golden Week," an eight-day holiday period in China. However, local officials, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said heavy snowfall had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping numerous of individuals at campsites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the most extreme conditions I've experienced in all my trekking experiences, without question," a Chinese trekker stated on Weibo, detailing a "intense blizzard on the east face" of Everest.

"I looked up in the late hours and saw that the snow had nearly buried the peak," said a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the first time I genuinely experienced the terror of being buried alive."

Eyewitness Reports

One Chinese trekker mentioned their party had been "too scared to sleep" on Saturday as accumulation rapidly built up around their shelters, compelling them to remove it hourly. They decided to go down on the next day as the weather deteriorated.

"On the way, we encountered our guide’s parent who had come looking for him. That's when we discovered the snow was heavy in the lowlands as well; villagers, unable to contact their family on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The northern and eastern side of Everest is more accessible than locations on the neighboring side of the border and attracts high numbers of tourists for less technical hiking, without summiting the peak.

Online Documentation

Images and footage shared on the internet depicted shelters covered by snow and lines of trekkers walking through deep snowbanks to descend the mountain.

"It was extremely thick, and the path extremely slippery. Trekkers stumbled frequently – a few tumbled, some were jostled by yaks," noted a trekker, who clarified that all safely descended and were transported by bus.

Current Status

By the weekend, about 350 people had arrived in Qudang, a small town about 30 miles away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources announced.

No fewer than 200 more were still stranded but had been contacted, the reports said. Media outlets stated that hundreds of rescuers had ascended the mountain to help people and clear snow from obstructing the way out.

There was minimal updates or new details about the operation on Monday. It was also not clear if the weather had affected individuals on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The region is strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and media entry is limited. The weather also appears to have have disrupted phone services, with attempts to contact shops not connecting. A number of hikers reported electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town.

Weather Patterns

Autumn is a busy period for the area, with typically clear and mild weather, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 participants of a trekking group that returned to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "not normal."

"Our leader said he had never encountered such weather in the fall. And it occurred all too suddenly."

The regional travel department said ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were halted from the weekend.

Regional Impact

Adjacent nations were also hit by severe conditions. Torrential downpours caused mudslides and flash floods that have blocked roads, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since Friday in Nepal.