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Trekkers have described facing "extreme" conditions after an unseasonable snowstorm during one of China's busiest festive periods trapped numerous of individuals on Mount Everest, triggering a large-scale rescue operation.

Rescue Operations In Progress

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 east of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Large groups of visitors had journeyed to the area for "Golden Week," an week-long festive break in China. However, local officials, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed intense snow had affected the area on the weekend, stranding hundreds of individuals at tent sites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the harshest weather I've experienced in all my hiking experiences, without question," a Chinese trekker stated on Weibo, describing a "violent convective blizzard on the east face" of Everest.

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

Eyewitness Reports

One Chinese trekker said their party had been "too scared to sleep" on Saturday as snow rapidly built up around their shelters, forcing them to clear it hourly. They chose to descend on Sunday as the weather deteriorated.

"During the descent, we encountered our guide's father who had come looking for him. That's when we learned the snow was intense in the valley as well; villagers, unable to reach their children on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The north and east side of Everest is more accessible than locations on the neighboring side of the border and attracts high numbers of tourists for easier trekking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Visual Evidence

Photos and video shared on the internet showed tents buried in snow and rows of trekkers moving through deep snowbanks to get down the mountain.

"It was very deep, and the path extremely slippery. Trekkers stumbled frequently – some fell, some were jostled by pack animals," noted a trekker, who clarified that everyone made it down and were transported by bus.

Latest Developments

By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 people had reached Qudang, a village about 30 miles away from the Tibetan base camp of Everest, "in good health," state media announced.

No fewer than 200 additional remained trapped but had been contacted, the updates said. Local news reported that scores of rescuers had ascended the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from blocking the way out.

Officials provided little official reporting or updated information about the operation on the following day. Uncertainty remained if the storm had impacted individuals on the north face of Everest, also in Tibet. The region is strictly regulated by the authorities, and journalistic access is limited. The weather also appears to have have disrupted local communications, with calls to local businesses failing. Several trekkers reported power was out in Qudang when they reached the town.

Seasonal Context

October is a peak season for the area, with usually calm and pleasant weather, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 participants of a hiking party that returned to Qudang, commented that the climate this year was "unusual."

"The guide said he had not experienced conditions like this in the fall. And it happened very abruptly."

The local tourism authority announced admissions and access to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from Saturday.

Regional Impact

Adjacent nations were also hit by extreme weather. Torrential downpours triggered mudslides and sudden flooding that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since Friday in Nepal.