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Trekkers have recounted facing "harsh" situations after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's busiest festive periods stranded numerous of people on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue effort.

Rescue Operations In Progress

Chinese authorities stated that approximately 350 individuals had descended safely 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.

Crowds of visitors had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long festive break in China. However, local officials, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed intense snow had hit the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping hundreds of people at tent sites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the most extreme conditions I've ever faced in all my trekking experiences, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang said on Weibo, describing a "intense snowstorm on the east face" of Everest.

"I looked up in the middle of the night and noticed that the accumulation had almost covered the top," shared a hiker on a social platform. "That was the first time I genuinely experienced the fear of being buried alive."

Personal Accounts

A hiker from China said their group had been "too scared to sleep" on Saturday as snow quickly piled up around their tents, compelling them to remove it hourly. They chose to descend on Sunday as the weather worsened.

"During the descent, we met our guide's father who had searched for him. That's when we discovered the snow was heavy in the lowlands too; locals, unable to reach their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The northern and eastern side of Everest is easier to reach than sites on the Nepal side of the border and attracts large crowds of visitors for easier trekking, without summiting the peak.

Online Documentation

Photos and video posted online depicted tents covered by snow and rows of trekkers walking through waist-high drifts to get down the mountain.

"It was very deep, and the path extremely slippery. Hikers stumbled frequently – some fell, some were jostled by yaks," noted a trekker, who added that everyone made it down and were picked up by bus.

Current Status

By the weekend, about 350 people had reached Qudang, a small town about 30 miles away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources reported.

At least 200 additional remained trapped but had been contacted, the updates said. Media outlets stated that scores of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from obstructing the way out.

There was minimal updates or updated information about the rescue effort on Monday. It was also not clear if the weather had impacted individuals on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The area is tightly controlled by the authorities, and journalistic access is restricted. The conditions also seemed to have affected local communications, with attempts to contact shops not connecting. Several trekkers reported electricity was cut in Qudang when they arrived.

Seasonal Context

Autumn is a peak season for the region, with usually calm and pleasant conditions, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 participants of a hiking party that returned to Qudang, commented that the climate this year was "not normal."

"The guide told us he had not experienced conditions like this in October. And it occurred very abruptly."

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

Regional Impact

Neighbouring countries were also hit by extreme weather. Heavy rains caused landslides and flash floods that have closed routes, destroyed crossings, and killed at least 47 people since Friday in Nepal.