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Trekkers have recounted encountering "harsh" conditions after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's most crowded festive periods stranded hundreds of people on Mount Everest, triggering a large-scale rescue effort.

Rescue Operations In Progress

Officials in China stated that approximately 350 people 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 Tibetan side of the border.

Large groups of tourists had journeyed to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long festive break in China. However, local officials, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed intense snow had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping numerous of individuals at tent sites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the harshest weather I've ever faced in all my trekking experiences, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang stated on Weibo, describing a "violent convective snowstorm on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the middle of the night and saw that the accumulation had almost covered the top," shared another trekker on Xiaohongshu. "That was the initial instance I truly felt the fear of being engulfed by snow."

Personal Accounts

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 remove it hourly. They chose to descend on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

"During the descent, we met our guide's father who had come looking for him. It was then we learned the storm was intense in the lowlands as well; villagers, unable to reach their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The north and east side of Everest is more accessible than locations on the neighboring side of the border and attracts large crowds of visitors for less technical hiking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Online Documentation

Images and footage posted online showed shelters covered by snow and lines of trekkers moving through waist-high snowbanks to get down the mountain.

"The snow was extremely thick, and the trail very slick. Hikers stumbled frequently – some fell, some were jostled by yaks," noted a trekker, who clarified that all safely descended and were transported by bus.

Latest Developments

By the weekend, approximately 350 individuals had reached Qudang, a village about 30 miles away from the Tibetan starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," state media reported.

At least 200 additional remained trapped but had been contacted, the reports indicated. Media outlets reported that scores of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from blocking the exit route.

Officials provided minimal updates or updated information about the operation on Monday. It was also not clear if the weather had affected individuals on the northern side of Everest, also in Tibet. The region is tightly controlled by the authorities, and journalistic access is limited. The conditions also appears to have have disrupted local communications, with calls to local businesses not connecting. A number of hikers said power was out in Qudang when they reached the town.

Seasonal Context

Autumn is a peak season for the region, with typically clear and mild conditions, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 members of a trekking group that returned to Qudang, commented that the weather this year was "not normal."

"Our leader said he had never encountered such weather in October. And it happened all too suddenly."

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

Regional Impact

Neighbouring countries were also hit by extreme weather. Torrential downpours triggered mudslides and flash floods that have blocked roads, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since the start of the weekend in Nepal.