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Trekkers have described facing "harsh" conditions after an unseasonable snowstorm during one of China's busiest festive periods trapped hundreds of individuals on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue effort.

Rescue Operations In Progress

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

Crowds of visitors had traveled to the area for "Golden Week," an eight-day holiday period in China. However, Chinese authorities, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said intense snow had hit the area on the weekend, trapping hundreds of people at tent sites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the most extreme weather I've experienced in all my trekking experiences, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang said on social media, describing a "intense snowstorm on the east face" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the late hours and saw that the snow had almost covered the peak," said a hiker on a social platform. "That was the first time I genuinely experienced the fear of being buried alive."

Eyewitness Reports

A hiker from China said their group had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as accumulation rapidly built up around their tents, compelling them to remove it hourly. They decided to descend on the next day as the weather deteriorated.

"On the way, we encountered our guide's father who had searched for him. It was then we learned the snow was heavy in the lowlands as well; locals, unable to reach their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The northern and eastern side of Everest is easier to reach than locations on the Nepal side of the border and attracts high numbers of visitors for less technical hiking, without summiting the peak.

Visual Evidence

Images and footage shared on the internet depicted tents buried in snow and lines of trekkers walking through deep snowbanks to descend the mountain.

"It was extremely thick, and the path very slick. Trekkers often slipped – some fell, others were bumped by yaks," said one, who clarified that everyone made it down and were picked up by bus.

Current Status

By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 people had arrived in Qudang, a village roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibet-side starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources announced.

At least 200 more remained trapped but had been reached, the updates indicated. Media outlets stated that hundreds of rescuers had ascended the mountain to help people and remove accumulation from obstructing the exit route.

Officials provided minimal updates or new details about the operation on Monday. Uncertainty remained if the storm had affected anyone on the northern side of Everest, also in Tibet. The area is strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and journalistic access is limited. The weather also seemed to have affected local communications, with calls to local businesses not connecting. Several trekkers reported power was out in Qudang when they reached the town.

Weather Patterns

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

"Our leader said he had never encountered such weather in the fall. And it occurred very abruptly."

The local tourism authority said ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from Saturday.

Broader Effects

Neighbouring countries were affected as well by severe conditions. Torrential downpours caused mudslides and flash floods that have blocked roads, destroyed crossings, and killed at least 47 people since Friday in Nepal.