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Hikers have described encountering "extreme" situations after an unseasonable blizzard during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends trapped hundreds of individuals on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue operation.

Rescue Operations In Progress

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

Large groups of tourists had journeyed to the area for "Golden Week," an eight-day festive break in China. However, local officials, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said heavy snowfall had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping hundreds of people at campsites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the most extreme conditions I've experienced in all my trekking adventures, without question," a Chinese trekker stated on social media, describing a "intense snowstorm on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the late hours and saw that the snow had nearly covered the peak," shared another trekker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the first time I truly felt the fear of being buried alive."

Personal Accounts

One Chinese trekker mentioned their group had been "too scared to sleep" on Saturday as snow rapidly built up around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on the next day as the conditions worsened.

"During the descent, we encountered our guide’s parent who had searched for him. That's when we learned the snow was heavy in the valley too; villagers, unable to contact their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The north and east side of Everest is more accessible than sites on the Nepal side of the border and attracts large crowds of visitors for easier hiking, without summiting the peak.

Visual Evidence

Photos and video shared on the internet depicted tents buried in snow and rows of hikers moving through waist-high drifts to get down the mountain.

"The snow was extremely thick, and the path very slick. Hikers often slipped – some fell, others were bumped by yaks," noted a trekker, who added that everyone made it down and were transported by bus.

Current Status

By Sunday afternoon, about 350 individuals had arrived in Qudang, a small town about 30 miles away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "in good health," state media announced.

At least 200 additional were still stranded but had been reached, the reports said. Media outlets stated that hundreds of rescuers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and remove accumulation from blocking the exit route.

There was little official reporting or updated information about the rescue effort on Monday. It was also not clear if the storm had affected anyone on the northern side of Everest, also in Tibet. The region is strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and journalistic access is limited. The conditions also seemed to have affected local communications, with attempts to contact shops failing. Several trekkers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town.

Weather Patterns

Autumn is a busy period for the region, with usually calm and pleasant conditions, but one trekker, among 18 members of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "not normal."

"Our leader told us he had never encountered conditions like this in the fall. And it occurred very abruptly."

The regional travel department announced ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from Saturday.

Broader Effects

Neighbouring countries were also hit by extreme weather. Heavy rains caused mudslides and flash floods that have blocked roads, destroyed crossings, and killed at least 47 individuals since Friday in the neighboring country.