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Hikers have described facing "extreme" conditions after an unseasonable blizzard during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends trapped numerous of people on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue effort.

Rescue Operations In Progress

Officials in China stated that around 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 Tibetan side of the border.

Crowds of tourists had journeyed to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long festive break in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said heavy snowfall had hit the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping numerous of individuals at campsites 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 hiking experiences, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang stated on social media, detailing a "violent convective snowstorm on the east face" of Everest.

"I looked up in the middle of the night and noticed that the accumulation had nearly buried the peak," said another trekker on Xiaohongshu. "That was the first time I genuinely experienced the fear of being buried alive."

Personal Accounts

One Chinese trekker said their party had been "too scared to sleep" on that night as snow quickly piled up around their tents, forcing them to clear it hourly. They chose to go down on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

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

The north and east side of Everest is easier to reach than sites on the Nepal side of the border and draws high numbers of tourists for easier trekking, without summiting the peak.

Visual Evidence

Photos and video shared on the internet depicted tents covered by snow and rows of trekkers walking through deep snowbanks to descend the mountain.

"It was very deep, and the path extremely slippery. Trekkers stumbled frequently – a few tumbled, some were jostled by yaks," said one, who added that everyone made it down and were picked up by bus.

Current Status

By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 individuals had reached Qudang, a small town about 30 miles away from the Tibetan base camp of Everest, "in good health," state media announced.

No fewer than 200 additional remained trapped but had been contacted, the reports said. Local news reported that hundreds 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 Monday. It was also not clear if the weather had affected anyone on the north face of Everest, within the same region. The area is tightly controlled by the authorities, and media entry is restricted. The weather also appears to have have affected phone services, with calls to local businesses not connecting. Several trekkers said power was out in Qudang when they arrived.

Seasonal Context

October is a busy period for the region, with typically calm and pleasant conditions, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 participants of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "not normal."

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

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

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were also hit by severe conditions. Heavy rains caused mudslides and sudden flooding that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since Friday in the neighboring country.