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Trekkers have described facing "harsh" situations after an unseasonable snowstorm during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends stranded hundreds of people on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue effort.

Evacuation Efforts Underway

Officials in China reported that approximately 350 individuals had descended safely 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.

Crowds of visitors had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long festive break in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said intense snow had affected 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).

"It was the harshest weather I've experienced in all my hiking adventures, undoubtedly," a Chinese trekker stated on social media, describing a "violent convective snowstorm on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the middle of the night and noticed that the accumulation had nearly covered the top," shared a hiker on a social platform. "It was the first time I truly felt the terror of being engulfed by snow."

Eyewitness Reports

One Chinese trekker said their party had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as snow rapidly built up around their shelters, compelling them to remove it hourly. They decided to go down on Sunday as the conditions worsened.

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

The northern and eastern side of Everest is more accessible than locations on the Nepal side of the border and draws high numbers of visitors for less technical hiking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Online Documentation

Photos and video posted online showed shelters buried in snow and lines of trekkers walking through waist-high drifts to get down the mountain.

"The snow was very deep, and the trail very slick. Trekkers often slipped – a few tumbled, some were jostled by yaks," noted a trekker, who clarified that everyone made it down and were transported by bus.

Current Status

By Sunday afternoon, about 350 individuals had arrived in Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "in good health," official sources announced.

At least 200 more were still stranded but had been reached, the reports said. Media outlets stated that scores of emergency workers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from blocking the exit route.

There was little official reporting or new details about the rescue effort on the following day. It was also not clear if the storm had impacted anyone on the north face of Everest, within the same region. The region is tightly controlled by the Chinese government, and media entry is restricted. The weather also appears to have have affected phone services, with attempts to contact shops failing. A number of hikers said power was out in Qudang when they arrived.

Seasonal Context

Autumn is a peak season for the area, with usually clear and mild weather, 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 never encountered conditions like this in the fall. And it occurred all too suddenly."

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

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were also hit by extreme weather. Torrential downpours triggered mudslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, destroyed crossings, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since the start of the weekend in the neighboring country.