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Trekkers have described encountering "harsh" conditions after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends trapped numerous of people on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue effort.

Rescue Operations In Progress

Officials in China reported that approximately 350 people had made their way down but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, located to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Large groups of tourists had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an eight-day holiday period in China. However, local officials, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said intense snow had affected the area on the weekend, trapping hundreds of people at campsites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the most extreme conditions I've ever faced in all my hiking adventures, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang said on social media, describing a "intense snowstorm on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"I looked up in the middle of the night and saw that the accumulation had almost covered the top," shared a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the initial instance I truly felt the fear of being buried alive."

Eyewitness Reports

A hiker from China said their group had been "too frightened to sleep" on that night as snow rapidly built up around their tents, compelling them to remove it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on Sunday as the conditions worsened.

"On the way, we encountered our guide's father who had come looking for him. That's when we learned the snow was heavy in the lowlands too; villagers, unable to reach 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 draws high numbers of visitors for less technical hiking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Online Documentation

Images and footage shared on the internet showed shelters covered by snow and rows of trekkers moving through waist-high drifts to descend the mountain.

"The snow was extremely thick, and the path very slick. Hikers often slipped – some fell, others were bumped by pack animals," noted a trekker, who added that all safely descended and were picked up by bus.

Current Status

By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 individuals had reached Qudang, a village roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibetan base camp of Everest, "in good health," state media announced.

At least 200 additional were still stranded but had been contacted, the updates said. Media outlets stated that scores of emergency workers had gone up the mountain to help people and clear snow from blocking the exit route.

Officials provided minimal updates or new details about the rescue effort on the following day. It was also not clear if the weather had affected individuals on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The region is tightly controlled by the authorities, and journalistic access is limited. The weather also appears to have have disrupted phone services, with calls to local businesses not connecting. Several trekkers said power was out in Qudang when they arrived.

Seasonal Context

October is a peak season for the area, with usually calm and pleasant weather, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 participants of a trekking group that returned to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "unusual."

"The guide said he had not experienced conditions like this in the fall. And it occurred very abruptly."

The regional travel department said admissions and access to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from Saturday.

Regional Impact

Adjacent nations were affected as well by severe conditions. Heavy rains triggered landslides and sudden flooding that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and killed at least 47 people since the start of the weekend in Nepal.