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Trekkers have recounted facing "extreme" conditions after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's busiest festive periods stranded numerous of people on Mount Everest, triggering a large-scale rescue operation.

Rescue Operations Underway

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

Crowds of tourists had journeyed to the region for "Golden Week," an eight-day holiday period in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed heavy snowfall had affected the area on the weekend, trapping numerous of people at tent sites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the most extreme conditions I've experienced in all my trekking experiences, without question," Dong Shuchang said on social media, describing a "intense blizzard on the east face" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the late hours and noticed that the accumulation had nearly buried the top," shared a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the initial instance I truly felt the terror of being engulfed by snow."

Eyewitness Reports

A hiker from China said their party had been "too scared to sleep" on that night as snow rapidly built up around their tents, forcing them to clear it hourly. They chose to go down on the next day as the weather deteriorated.

"During the descent, we met our guide’s parent who had come looking for him. It was then we discovered the snow was heavy in the valley as well; locals, unable to reach their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The north and east side of Everest is more accessible than sites 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

Photos and video posted online showed tents covered by snow and rows of trekkers moving through waist-high snowbanks to descend the mountain.

"It was very deep, and the path very slick. Trekkers often slipped – a few tumbled, others were bumped by pack animals," said one, who clarified that all safely descended and were picked up by bus.

Latest Developments

By the weekend, about 350 people had reached Qudang, a small town about 30 miles away from the Tibetan base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," state media announced.

No fewer than 200 more remained trapped but had been reached, the reports indicated. Media outlets stated that scores of rescuers had ascended the mountain to help people and clear snow from blocking the exit route.

There was little official reporting or new details about the operation on the following day. It was also not clear if the weather had impacted individuals on the north face of Everest, within the same region. The region is strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and media entry is restricted. The weather also seemed to have disrupted phone services, with attempts to contact shops failing. Several trekkers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they arrived.

Weather Patterns

Autumn is a peak season for the area, with typically clear and mild conditions, but one trekker, among 18 members of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "unusual."

"Our leader said he had never encountered conditions like this in October. And it happened very abruptly."

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

Regional Impact

Neighbouring countries were affected as well by extreme weather. Heavy rains triggered mudslides and flash floods 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.