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Hikers have described facing "extreme" situations after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's most crowded festive periods stranded hundreds of people on Mount Everest, sparking a large-scale rescue effort.

Rescue Operations In Progress

Chinese authorities reported that around 350 individuals had descended safely but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibet side of the border.

Crowds of visitors had journeyed to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long holiday period in China. However, local officials, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said heavy snowfall 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 most extreme weather I've ever faced in all my trekking adventures, undoubtedly," a Chinese trekker said on social media, detailing a "violent convective blizzard on the east face" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the middle of the night and noticed that the snow had almost covered the peak," said a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the first time I truly felt the terror of being buried alive."

Eyewitness Reports

A hiker from China mentioned their group had been "too scared to sleep" on that night as accumulation quickly piled up around their shelters, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend on the next day as the weather worsened.

"On the way, we met our guide's father who had searched for him. That's when we discovered the snow was intense in the lowlands too; locals, unable to reach their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

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

Visual Evidence

Photos and video posted online depicted tents covered by snow and rows of trekkers walking through waist-high drifts to descend the mountain.

"The snow was very deep, and the trail extremely slippery. Trekkers stumbled frequently – some fell, others were bumped by pack animals," said one, who added that everyone made it down and were picked up by bus.

Latest Developments

By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 individuals had arrived in Qudang, a village about 30 miles away from the Tibetan starting point of Everest, "in good health," state media reported.

No fewer than 200 more were still stranded but had been contacted, the reports indicated. Media outlets stated that hundreds of rescuers had ascended the mountain to help people and remove accumulation from blocking the exit route.

Officials provided minimal updates or new details about the rescue effort 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 strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and media entry is restricted. The conditions also appears to have have disrupted phone services, with attempts to contact shops failing. Several trekkers reported power was out in Qudang when they reached the town.

Seasonal Context

Autumn is a peak season for the region, with usually calm and pleasant weather, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 members of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, said that the climate this year was "unusual."

"The guide said he had not experienced such weather in the fall. And it happened very abruptly."

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

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were also hit by severe conditions. Heavy rains caused landslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 people since Friday in the neighboring country.