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Trekkers have recounted facing "harsh" situations after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's busiest holiday weekends stranded hundreds of people on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue effort.

Rescue Operations In Progress

Chinese authorities stated that approximately 350 people had descended safely but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the east of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Large groups of tourists had journeyed to the area for "Golden Week," an week-long holiday period in China. However, local officials, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed intense snow had hit the area on the weekend, stranding hundreds of individuals at campsites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the harshest conditions I've experienced in all my hiking adventures, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang said on social media, describing a "violent convective snowstorm on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the late hours and saw that the snow had almost covered the top," said a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "That was the first time I genuinely experienced the terror of being buried alive."

Eyewitness Reports

A hiker from China mentioned their group had been "too frightened to sleep" on that night as accumulation quickly piled up around their tents, compelling them to remove it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on Sunday as the weather worsened.

"During the descent, we met our guide’s parent who had searched for him. That's when we learned the snow was heavy in the lowlands as well; villagers, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The north and east side of Everest is more accessible than sites 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 shelters covered by snow and lines of hikers moving through deep drifts to get down the mountain.

"It was very deep, and the trail very slick. Trekkers often slipped – a few tumbled, some were jostled by pack animals," noted a trekker, who clarified that everyone made it down and were transported by bus.

Current Status

By the weekend, about 350 people had reached Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibetan base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources announced.

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

Officials provided minimal updates or new details about the operation on the following day. Uncertainty remained if the storm had affected individuals on the north face of Everest, within the same region. The area is strictly regulated by the authorities, and journalistic access is limited. The conditions also seemed to have affected phone services, with attempts to contact shops not connecting. Several trekkers reported power was out in Qudang when they reached the town.

Seasonal Context

October is a peak season for the area, with usually calm and pleasant conditions, but one trekker, among 18 members of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, said that the climate this year was "unusual."

"Our leader told us he had never encountered conditions like this in the fall. And it happened very abruptly."

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

Broader Effects

Neighbouring countries were affected as well by extreme weather. Torrential downpours caused landslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, destroyed crossings, and claimed the lives of at least 47 people since the start of the weekend in the neighboring country.