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Trekkers have recounted facing "harsh" conditions after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's most crowded festive periods trapped hundreds of people on Mount Everest, sparking a large-scale rescue effort.

Rescue Operations Underway

Chinese authorities stated that approximately 350 individuals 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.

Large groups of tourists had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long festive break in China. However, local officials, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said intense snow had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, stranding 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 ever faced in all my trekking adventures, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang stated on social media, detailing a "intense snowstorm on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"I looked up in the late hours and saw that the accumulation had almost buried the top," said another trekker on a social platform. "It was the first time I genuinely experienced the fear of being buried alive."

Eyewitness Reports

A hiker from China said their party had been "too scared to sleep" on that night as accumulation rapidly built up around their shelters, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

"On the way, we encountered our guide’s parent who had searched for him. It was then we learned the snow was heavy in the valley as well; locals, unable to contact their family on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The northern and eastern side of Everest is easier to reach than locations on the Nepal side of the border and attracts high numbers of tourists for easier hiking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Online Documentation

Photos and video shared on the internet showed tents buried in snow and lines of trekkers moving through waist-high drifts to get down the mountain.

"The snow was very deep, and the path extremely slippery. Trekkers often slipped – some fell, others were bumped by pack animals," noted a trekker, who added that everyone made it down and were transported by bus.

Latest Developments

By Sunday afternoon, about 350 people had reached Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibetan starting point of Everest, "in good health," official sources announced.

No fewer than 200 additional remained trapped but had been reached, the reports indicated. Local news stated that scores of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to help people and clear snow from blocking the way out.

There was minimal updates or updated information about the operation on the following day. It was also not clear if the storm had impacted individuals on the northern side of Everest, also in Tibet. The area is strictly regulated by the authorities, and media entry is limited. The conditions also seemed to have disrupted phone services, with attempts to contact shops not connecting. Several trekkers reported power was out in Qudang when they arrived.

Weather Patterns

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

"The guide said he had never encountered such weather in October. And it occurred all too suddenly."

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

Broader Effects

Neighbouring countries were also hit by extreme weather. Heavy rains caused mudslides and flash floods that have blocked roads, destroyed crossings, and claimed the lives of at least 47 people since Friday in Nepal.