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Hikers have described facing "extreme" conditions after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends stranded numerous of people on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue operation.

Evacuation Efforts Underway

Chinese authorities stated that around 350 individuals had descended safely but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the east of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Large groups of tourists had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an eight-day festive break in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed intense snow had hit the area on the weekend, trapping numerous of people at tent sites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the harshest conditions I've ever faced in all my hiking adventures, without question," a Chinese trekker said on Weibo, describing a "intense blizzard on the east face" of Everest.

"I looked up in the late hours and saw that the snow had almost buried the top," shared another trekker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the first time I truly felt the terror of being engulfed by snow."

Personal Accounts

A hiker from China mentioned their group had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as snow rapidly built up around their tents, forcing them to remove it hourly. They chose to descend on Sunday as the conditions worsened.

"During the descent, we encountered our guide’s parent who had come looking for him. That's when we discovered the snow was heavy in the lowlands too; locals, unable to reach their family on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The north and east side of Everest is easier to reach than sites on the neighboring side of the border and draws high numbers of tourists for less technical hiking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Online Documentation

Photos and video shared on the internet showed shelters buried in snow and rows of trekkers moving through waist-high snowbanks to descend the mountain.

"It was very deep, and the trail very slick. Hikers often slipped – some fell, others were bumped by pack animals," said one, who clarified that all safely descended and were transported by bus.

Latest Developments

By Sunday afternoon, about 350 individuals had arrived in Qudang, a village about 30 miles away from the Tibetan starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources reported.

No fewer than 200 more remained trapped but had been reached, the updates said. Local news reported that scores of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from obstructing the exit route.

Officials provided minimal updates or new details about the operation on the following day. Uncertainty remained if the storm had affected individuals on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The region is strictly regulated by the authorities, and media entry is restricted. The weather also appears to have have affected local communications, with attempts to contact shops failing. A number of hikers reported electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town.

Weather Patterns

Autumn is a busy period for the area, with typically clear and mild conditions, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 members of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "unusual."

"The guide said he had not experienced conditions like this in October. And it occurred very abruptly."

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

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were also hit by severe conditions. Heavy rains triggered mudslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, destroyed crossings, and claimed the lives of at least 47 people since the start of the weekend in the neighboring country.