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

Rescue Operations In Progress

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

Large groups of tourists had traveled to the area for "Golden Week," an eight-day holiday period in China. However, local officials, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said heavy snowfall 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 harshest weather I've experienced in all my hiking adventures, without question," a Chinese trekker said on Weibo, describing a "violent convective blizzard on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"I looked up in the middle of the night and noticed that the snow had nearly buried the top," said another trekker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the initial instance I truly felt the terror of being buried alive."

Personal Accounts

A hiker from China mentioned their party had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as accumulation quickly piled up around their shelters, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

"On the way, we encountered our guide's father who had searched for him. It was then we discovered the snow was heavy in the lowlands too; locals, unable to reach their children on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The north and east side of Everest is more accessible than sites on the Nepal side of the border and draws high numbers of visitors for less technical trekking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Visual Evidence

Images and footage shared on the internet depicted tents buried in snow and rows of trekkers walking through waist-high drifts to descend the mountain.

"The snow was very deep, and the trail very slick. Trekkers often slipped – a few tumbled, others were bumped by yaks," said one, who clarified that everyone made it down and were picked up by bus.

Latest Developments

By Sunday afternoon, about 350 individuals had reached Qudang, a small town about 30 miles away from the Tibetan base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources reported.

No fewer than 200 more were still stranded but had been reached, the updates said. Local news reported that hundreds of rescuers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from obstructing the way out.

Officials provided little official reporting or updated information about the rescue effort on Monday. 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 conditions also seemed to have disrupted local communications, with attempts to contact shops failing. A number of hikers reported power was out in Qudang when they arrived.

Weather Patterns

October is a busy period for the region, with usually clear and mild conditions, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 members of a hiking party that made it back to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "unusual."

"Our leader said he had never encountered conditions like this in the fall. And it happened all too suddenly."

The regional travel department announced admissions and access to the Everest Scenic Area were halted from the weekend.

Regional Impact

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