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Hikers have recounted encountering "extreme" situations after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's busiest holiday weekends stranded numerous of individuals on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue operation.

Evacuation Efforts Underway

Chinese authorities stated that approximately 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 Tibet side of the border.

Crowds of tourists had journeyed to the region for "Golden Week," an eight-day festive break in China. However, local officials, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed intense snow had affected the area on the weekend, stranding numerous of individuals at tent sites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the most extreme weather I've ever faced in all my hiking experiences, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang said on social media, describing a "intense snowstorm on the east face" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the middle of the night and noticed that the snow had nearly buried the top," shared 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 party had been "too scared to sleep" on that night as accumulation quickly piled up around their shelters, compelling them to remove it hourly. They chose to descend on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

"On the way, we met our guide’s parent who had come looking for him. It was then we learned the snow was heavy in the valley too; villagers, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The northern and eastern side of Everest is more accessible than locations on the neighboring side of the border and attracts large crowds of visitors for easier trekking, without summiting the peak.

Online Documentation

Images and footage posted online depicted tents buried in snow and lines of hikers moving through waist-high snowbanks to get down the mountain.

"The snow was extremely thick, and the trail very slick. Trekkers often slipped – a few tumbled, some were jostled by pack animals," said one, who clarified that everyone made it down and were transported by bus.

Current Status

By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 people had arrived in Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "in good health," official sources reported.

At least 200 additional remained trapped but had been contacted, the updates indicated. Media outlets stated that hundreds of emergency workers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from blocking the way out.

There was little official reporting or new details about the rescue effort on the following day. Uncertainty remained if the weather had affected anyone on the northern side of Everest, also in Tibet. The region is strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and media entry is restricted. The conditions also seemed to have disrupted local communications, with attempts to contact shops failing. Several trekkers said power was out in Qudang when they arrived.

Seasonal Context

Autumn is a busy period for the region, with typically clear and mild weather, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 participants of a trekking group that returned to Qudang, said that the climate this year was "unusual."

"The guide told us he had never encountered such weather in the fall. And it occurred very abruptly."

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

Regional Impact

Neighbouring countries were also hit by severe conditions. Heavy rains caused landslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, destroyed crossings, and killed at least 47 individuals since Friday in the neighboring country.