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Hikers have described facing "harsh" situations after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's busiest holiday weekends trapped hundreds of people on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue operation.

Rescue Operations Underway

Chinese authorities reported that around 350 people had descended safely but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, located to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Large groups of visitors had journeyed to the area for "Golden Week," an week-long holiday period in China. However, Chinese authorities, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed heavy snowfall had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, stranding numerous of individuals at tent sites 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, without question," a Chinese trekker said on social media, detailing a "intense blizzard on the east face" of Everest.

"I looked up in the late hours and saw that the snow had almost buried the top," shared a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "That was the initial instance I truly felt the terror of being engulfed by snow."

Personal Accounts

A hiker from China said their party had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as accumulation quickly piled up around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down on the next day as the weather worsened.

"On the way, we encountered our guide’s parent who had searched for him. It was then we learned the snow was intense in the valley too; villagers, unable to reach their children on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The north and east side of Everest is more accessible than sites on the Nepal side of the border and attracts large crowds of tourists for easier hiking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Visual Evidence

Images and footage posted online depicted shelters buried in snow and rows of hikers moving through waist-high drifts to descend the mountain.

"The snow was very deep, and the path extremely slippery. Trekkers stumbled frequently – a few tumbled, some were jostled by yaks," said one, who added that everyone made it down and were picked up by bus.

Current Status

By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 people had arrived in Qudang, a small town about 30 miles away from the Tibetan base camp of Everest, "in good health," official sources announced.

At least 200 additional were still stranded but had been reached, the reports indicated. Media outlets stated that scores of rescuers had ascended the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from obstructing the exit route.

Officials provided little official reporting or new details about the rescue effort on the following day. It was also not clear if the storm had impacted individuals on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The region is tightly controlled by the authorities, and media entry is limited. The conditions also appears to have have disrupted local communications, with calls to local businesses not connecting. Several trekkers said power was out in Qudang when they reached the town.

Seasonal Context

October is a peak season for the area, with usually clear and mild weather, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 participants of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, commented that the climate this year was "not normal."

"Our leader told us he had never encountered such weather in October. And it happened very abruptly."

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

Regional Impact

Neighbouring countries were affected as well by extreme weather. Torrential downpours triggered landslides and flash floods that have blocked roads, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since Friday in the neighboring country.