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Trekkers have recounted facing "extreme" situations after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends trapped numerous of people on Mount Everest, sparking a large-scale rescue operation.

Evacuation Efforts Underway

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

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

"This was the harshest weather I've experienced in all my trekking adventures, without question," a Chinese trekker said on social media, detailing a "violent convective snowstorm on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the late hours and saw that the snow had nearly buried the peak," said a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "That was the initial instance I truly felt the fear of being buried alive."

Eyewitness Reports

One Chinese trekker said their group had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as accumulation rapidly built up around their tents, forcing them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on the next day as the weather deteriorated.

"During the descent, we met our guide’s parent who had searched for him. It was then we learned the snow was intense in the valley too; locals, unable to contact their family on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The north and east side of Everest is more accessible than locations on the Nepal side of the border and attracts high numbers of tourists for less technical trekking, without summiting the peak.

Visual Evidence

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

"The snow was extremely thick, and the path extremely slippery. Trekkers stumbled frequently – a few tumbled, others were bumped by pack animals," said one, who added 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 Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," state media reported.

No fewer than 200 additional remained trapped but had been reached, the reports indicated. Media outlets reported that hundreds of emergency workers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and remove accumulation from obstructing the way out.

Officials provided minimal updates or new details 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 strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and media entry is restricted. The conditions also appears to have have affected phone services, with attempts to contact shops not connecting. A number of hikers reported electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town.

Weather Patterns

Autumn is a peak season for the region, with usually calm and pleasant weather, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 participants of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "unusual."

"Our leader said he had not experienced conditions like this in October. And it occurred all too suddenly."

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

Broader Effects

Neighbouring countries were affected as well by extreme weather. Heavy rains caused landslides and flash floods that have closed routes, destroyed crossings, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since the start of the weekend in Nepal.