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Trekkers have described facing "harsh" conditions after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends stranded numerous of people on Mount Everest, sparking a large-scale rescue effort.

Evacuation Efforts Underway

Officials in China reported that around 350 individuals had made their way down but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibet side of the border.

Crowds of visitors had traveled to the area for "Golden Week," an week-long holiday period in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed heavy snowfall had hit the area on the weekend, trapping numerous of individuals at tent sites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the most extreme conditions I've ever faced in all my trekking adventures, undoubtedly," a Chinese trekker stated on social media, describing a "intense blizzard on the east face" of Everest.

"I looked up in the middle of the night and saw that the snow had almost covered the peak," said a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the first time I truly felt the fear of being engulfed by snow."

Eyewitness Reports

One Chinese trekker mentioned their party had been "too scared to sleep" on Saturday as accumulation quickly piled up around their shelters, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down on the next day as the weather worsened.

"During the descent, we encountered our guide's father who had come looking for him. That's when we learned the snow was intense in the lowlands as well; villagers, unable to reach their family on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The northern and eastern side of Everest is more accessible than sites on the Nepal side of the border and draws large crowds of visitors for less technical hiking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Visual Evidence

Images and footage posted online showed tents covered by snow and lines of trekkers moving through deep drifts to get down the mountain.

"The snow was very deep, and the trail extremely slippery. Trekkers often slipped – a few tumbled, some were jostled by yaks," said one, who clarified that everyone made it down and were transported by bus.

Latest Developments

By the weekend, approximately 350 people had reached Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibet-side starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources announced.

At least 200 more remained trapped but had been contacted, the reports indicated. Media outlets reported that scores of rescuers had gone up the mountain to help people and clear snow from obstructing the way out.

There was little official reporting or updated information about the rescue effort on the following day. It was also not clear if the storm had impacted anyone on the northern side of Everest, also in Tibet. The area is tightly controlled by the Chinese government, and media entry is limited. The weather also seemed to have affected local communications, with attempts to contact shops not connecting. A number of hikers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town.

Weather Patterns

Autumn is a peak season for the region, with usually clear and mild conditions, but one trekker, one of 18 participants of a hiking party that returned to Qudang, commented that the climate 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 announced admissions and access to the Everest Scenic Area were halted from the weekend.

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were also hit by extreme weather. Heavy rains caused mudslides and flash floods that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 people since the start of the weekend in the neighboring country.