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Hikers have described facing "extreme" conditions after an unseasonable blizzard during one of China's most crowded festive periods stranded numerous of people on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue effort.

Rescue Operations In Progress

Chinese authorities reported that approximately 350 people had made their way down but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the east of the mountain, on the Tibet side of the border.

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

"It was the most extreme weather I've experienced in all my trekking experiences, undoubtedly," a Chinese trekker said on Weibo, describing a "violent convective snowstorm on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the late hours and noticed that the snow had almost buried the top," said another trekker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the first time I genuinely experienced the fear of being engulfed by snow."

Personal Accounts

One Chinese trekker said their group had been "too scared to sleep" on that night as snow rapidly built up around their shelters, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend on the next day as the weather deteriorated.

"During the descent, we encountered our guide's father who had come looking for him. It was then we learned the storm was heavy in the lowlands too; locals, unable to reach their family on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The northern and eastern side of Everest is easier to reach than sites on the neighboring side of the border and draws high numbers of visitors for less technical trekking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Online Documentation

Photos and video posted online depicted tents 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. Hikers stumbled frequently – a few tumbled, others were bumped by pack animals," noted a trekker, who clarified that everyone made it down and were transported by bus.

Latest Developments

By the weekend, approximately 350 individuals had reached Qudang, a small town about 30 miles away from the Tibetan base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," state media reported.

At least 200 more remained trapped but had been reached, the reports said. Media outlets reported that hundreds of emergency workers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from blocking the exit route.

Officials provided little official reporting or updated information about the rescue effort on Monday. It was also not clear if the storm had impacted anyone on the north face of Everest, within the same region. The area is tightly controlled by the authorities, and journalistic access is restricted. The weather also seemed to 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 calm and pleasant weather, but one trekker, one of 18 participants of a hiking party that returned to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "unusual."

"Our leader said he had not experienced conditions like this in October. And it happened very abruptly."

The local tourism authority said admissions and access to the Everest Scenic Area were halted from the weekend.

Broader Effects

Neighbouring countries were also hit by extreme weather. Heavy rains caused landslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, washed away bridges, and killed at least 47 people since the start of the weekend in the neighboring country.