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

Evacuation Efforts Underway

Officials in China stated that around 350 people had made their way down but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Crowds of visitors had traveled to the area for "Golden Week," an week-long 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 individuals at tent sites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the most extreme weather I've ever faced in all my hiking adventures, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang 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 covered the top," said another trekker on a social platform. "It was the first time I genuinely experienced the fear of being buried alive."

Personal Accounts

One Chinese trekker said their party had been "too frightened to sleep" on that night as accumulation rapidly built up around their tents, forcing them to remove it hourly. They decided to descend on the next day as the conditions deteriorated.

"During the descent, we encountered our guide's father who had searched for him. It was then we discovered the storm was intense in the valley as well; locals, unable to contact their family on the mountain, were extremely worried."

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

Visual Evidence

Photos and video shared on the internet depicted tents buried in snow and lines of hikers walking 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, others were bumped by pack animals," noted a trekker, who added that all safely descended and were picked up by bus.

Latest Developments

By the weekend, approximately 350 people had reached Qudang, a village about 30 miles away from the Tibet-side starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," state media announced.

No fewer than 200 additional were still stranded but had been contacted, the updates said. Media outlets reported that hundreds of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from obstructing the exit route.

Officials provided little official reporting or updated information about the operation on Monday. Uncertainty remained if the weather had affected anyone on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The region is tightly controlled by the authorities, and media entry is limited. The weather also seemed to have disrupted local communications, with attempts to contact shops failing. Several trekkers reported power was out in Qudang when they reached the town.

Seasonal Context

October is a peak season for the region, with usually clear and mild conditions, but one trekker, one of 18 members of a hiking party that returned to Qudang, commented that the climate this year was "not normal."

"The guide said he had never encountered conditions like this in October. And it occurred very abruptly."

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

Broader Effects

Neighbouring countries were affected as well by extreme weather. Heavy rains caused landslides and flash floods that have closed routes, destroyed crossings, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since Friday in the neighboring country.