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Trekkers have recounted facing "extreme" conditions after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's busiest holiday weekends trapped numerous of people on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue operation.

Evacuation Efforts Underway

Officials in China stated that approximately 350 individuals had descended safely but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, located to the east of the mountain, on the Tibet side of the border.

Large groups of tourists had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an eight-day holiday period in China. However, local officials, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said intense snow had affected the area on the weekend, stranding numerous of people at campsites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the most extreme weather I've experienced in all my trekking experiences, undoubtedly," a Chinese trekker stated on Weibo, describing a "intense blizzard on the east face" of Everest.

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

Personal Accounts

A hiker from China mentioned their party had been "too frightened to sleep" on that night as accumulation quickly piled up around their shelters, forcing them to clear it hourly. They chose to go down on Sunday as the weather worsened.

"On the way, we met our guide's father who had searched for him. That's when we discovered the snow was heavy in the valley too; villagers, unable to reach their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The north and east side of Everest is easier to reach than locations on the neighboring side of the border and attracts large crowds of visitors for easier trekking, without summiting the peak.

Online Documentation

Photos and video posted online showed tents covered by snow and rows of trekkers moving through deep snowbanks to get down the mountain.

"It was extremely thick, and the path very slick. Hikers stumbled frequently – some fell, some were jostled by pack animals," noted a trekker, who clarified that all safely descended and were transported by bus.

Latest Developments

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

No fewer than 200 more remained trapped but had been reached, the updates indicated. Media outlets stated that hundreds of emergency workers had gone up the mountain to help people and remove accumulation from obstructing the way out.

There was little official reporting or updated information about the operation on the following day. Uncertainty remained if the weather had impacted individuals on the north face of Everest, also in Tibet. The area is tightly controlled by the authorities, and journalistic access is limited. The conditions also appears to have have disrupted local communications, with attempts to contact shops not connecting. Several trekkers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they arrived.

Seasonal Context

October is a peak season for the area, with typically calm and pleasant conditions, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 members 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 all too suddenly."

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

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were also hit by severe conditions. Torrential downpours triggered mudslides and flash floods that have blocked roads, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since the start of the weekend in Nepal.