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Trekkers have described encountering "extreme" conditions after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's busiest festive periods trapped numerous of people on Mount Everest, sparking a large-scale rescue operation.

Rescue Operations Underway

Chinese authorities stated that approximately 350 individuals had descended safely but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, located to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Crowds of tourists had journeyed to the area for "Golden Week," an eight-day festive break in China. However, Chinese authorities, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed intense snow had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping hundreds of people at campsites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the harshest weather I've ever faced in all my trekking experiences, undoubtedly," a Chinese trekker stated on Weibo, detailing a "violent convective snowstorm on the east face" of Everest.

"I looked up in the middle of the night and noticed that the accumulation had nearly buried the top," shared a hiker on a social platform. "It was the initial instance I truly felt the fear of being engulfed by snow."

Eyewitness Reports

A hiker from China mentioned their party had been "too frightened to sleep" on that night as snow rapidly built up around their shelters, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down on Sunday as the weather worsened.

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

The northern and eastern side of Everest is more accessible than sites on the Nepal side of the border and draws large crowds of tourists for easier trekking, 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 drifts to get down the mountain.

"It was very deep, and the trail extremely slippery. Hikers stumbled frequently – a few tumbled, some were jostled by yaks," noted a trekker, who clarified that everyone made it down and were picked up by bus.

Latest Developments

By Sunday afternoon, about 350 people had reached Qudang, a village about 30 miles away from the Tibet-side starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources announced.

No fewer than 200 more remained trapped but had been contacted, the reports said. Media outlets reported that hundreds of rescuers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and remove accumulation from blocking the way out.

Officials provided little official reporting or updated information about the rescue effort on the following day. It was also not clear if the weather had impacted individuals on the northern side of Everest, also in Tibet. The region is strictly regulated by the authorities, and media entry is limited. The conditions also seemed to have affected phone services, with attempts to contact shops failing. Several trekkers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they arrived.

Seasonal Context

October is a peak season for the area, with typically calm and pleasant conditions, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 members of a hiking party that made it back to Qudang, commented that the climate this year was "not normal."

"Our leader said he had not experienced such weather in October. And it occurred all too suddenly."

The local tourism authority said ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from the weekend.

Regional Impact

Neighbouring countries were affected as well by severe conditions. Torrential downpours caused landslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, destroyed crossings, and killed at least 47 individuals since the start of the weekend in the neighboring country.