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Trekkers have described encountering "extreme" conditions after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends stranded numerous of people on Mount Everest, sparking a large-scale rescue effort.

Evacuation Efforts In Progress

Chinese authorities stated that approximately 350 individuals had descended safely but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, located to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Crowds of tourists had traveled to the area for "Golden Week," an eight-day holiday period in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed heavy snowfall had affected the area on the weekend, stranding numerous of individuals at campsites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the most extreme conditions I've experienced in all my hiking experiences, undoubtedly," a Chinese trekker stated on social media, describing a "intense snowstorm on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"I looked up in the late hours and noticed that the accumulation had nearly buried the peak," shared a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the initial instance I genuinely experienced the fear of being buried alive."

Eyewitness Reports

One Chinese trekker mentioned their group had been "too scared to sleep" on that night as snow rapidly built up around their shelters, forcing them to remove it hourly. They chose to go down on Sunday as the conditions worsened.

"During the descent, we met our guide’s parent who had come looking for him. It was then we discovered the storm was intense in the lowlands as well; villagers, unable to reach their family 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 easier hiking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Online Documentation

Photos and video shared on the internet showed tents covered by snow and rows of trekkers walking through deep drifts to descend the mountain.

"It was extremely thick, and the trail extremely slippery. Hikers often slipped – some fell, others were bumped by pack animals," noted a trekker, who clarified that all safely descended and were transported by bus.

Current Status

By Sunday afternoon, about 350 people had arrived in Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," state media reported.

No fewer than 200 additional remained trapped but had been reached, the updates said. Local news stated that hundreds of rescuers had ascended the mountain to help people and remove accumulation from blocking the exit route.

Officials provided minimal updates or new details about the operation on Monday. Uncertainty remained if the weather had impacted individuals on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The area is strictly regulated by the authorities, and media entry is limited. The weather also appears to have have affected phone services, with attempts to contact shops not connecting. Several trekkers reported electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town.

Weather Patterns

Autumn is a peak season for the area, with typically clear and mild weather, but one trekker, one of 18 participants of a hiking party that made it back to Qudang, commented that the climate this year was "unusual."

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

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

Regional Impact

Neighbouring countries were affected as well by extreme weather. Torrential downpours triggered mudslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, destroyed crossings, and killed at least 47 individuals since the start of the weekend in Nepal.