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Trekkers have recounted facing "harsh" situations after an unseasonable snowstorm during one of China's busiest holiday weekends trapped numerous of people on Mount Everest, triggering a large-scale rescue effort.

Rescue Operations Underway

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

Large groups of tourists had journeyed to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long holiday period in China. However, Chinese authorities, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said intense snow had affected the area on the weekend, stranding hundreds of individuals at campsites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the harshest conditions I've ever faced in all my trekking experiences, without question," Dong Shuchang said on Weibo, detailing a "violent convective blizzard on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"I looked up in the late hours and noticed that the accumulation had nearly covered the peak," shared another trekker on Xiaohongshu. "That was the first time I truly felt the fear 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 remove it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend on the next day as the weather worsened.

"During the descent, we encountered our guide's father who had come looking for him. It was then we learned the snow was intense in the valley too; villagers, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The northern and eastern side of Everest is more accessible than locations on the neighboring side of the border and attracts large crowds of tourists for less technical hiking, without summiting the peak.

Visual Evidence

Photos and video shared on the internet depicted tents covered by snow and lines of trekkers moving through waist-high snowbanks to get down the mountain.

"The snow was very deep, and the trail very slick. Hikers stumbled frequently – some fell, some were jostled by pack animals," noted a trekker, who added that all safely descended and were transported by bus.

Current Status

By the weekend, approximately 350 people had arrived in Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "in good health," state media reported.

At least 200 more remained trapped but had been contacted, the updates indicated. Media outlets stated that scores of rescuers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from blocking the way out.

There was minimal updates or new details about the rescue effort on the following day. Uncertainty remained 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 weather also appears to have have disrupted local communications, with attempts to contact shops failing. A number of hikers said power was out in Qudang when they reached the town.

Seasonal Context

October is a busy period for the area, with usually calm and pleasant weather, but one trekker, among 18 participants of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, commented that the weather this year was "unusual."

"Our leader said he had never encountered conditions like this in October. And it occurred all too suddenly."

The regional travel department said ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were halted from the weekend.

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were affected as well by extreme weather. Torrential downpours triggered mudslides and flash floods that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and killed at least 47 people since the start of the weekend in Nepal.