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Hikers have recounted facing "extreme" conditions after an unseasonable blizzard during one of China's busiest holiday weekends trapped hundreds of people on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue operation.

Rescue Operations In Progress

Chinese authorities reported 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 Tibetan side of the border.

Crowds of tourists had journeyed to the area for "Golden Week," an eight-day festive break in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said intense snow had hit the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping hundreds of individuals at tent sites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the harshest weather I've experienced in all my hiking experiences, without question," Dong Shuchang stated on social media, describing a "violent convective blizzard on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the middle of the night and noticed that the accumulation had almost buried the peak," shared a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the first time I truly felt the terror of being buried alive."

Personal Accounts

One Chinese trekker said their group had been "too scared to sleep" on that night as snow rapidly built up around their tents, compelling them to clear it hourly. They decided to descend on the next day as the weather deteriorated.

"During the descent, we met our guide’s parent who had searched for him. That's when we discovered the snow was heavy in the valley too; locals, unable to contact 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 large crowds of visitors for less technical hiking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Visual Evidence

Photos and video posted online depicted tents buried in snow and rows of trekkers moving through waist-high drifts to descend the mountain.

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

Current Status

By the weekend, approximately 350 people had reached Qudang, a village about 30 miles away from the Tibet-side starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," state media announced.

At least 200 additional were still stranded but had been reached, the updates indicated. Media outlets stated that scores of rescuers had gone up the mountain to help people and remove accumulation from obstructing the way out.

Officials provided minimal updates or updated information about the operation on the following day. It was also not clear if the weather had affected anyone on the northern side of Everest, also in Tibet. The region is strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and media entry is restricted. The conditions also appears to have have affected local communications, with calls to local businesses not connecting. A number of hikers reported electricity was cut in Qudang when they arrived.

Weather Patterns

Autumn is a peak season for the region, with typically calm and pleasant conditions, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 participants of a hiking party that made it back to Qudang, commented that the weather this year was "unusual."

"Our leader told us he had never encountered such weather in the fall. And it occurred very abruptly."

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

Broader Effects

Neighbouring countries were also hit by severe conditions. 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 Nepal.