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Hikers have recounted facing "extreme" situations after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's most crowded festive periods trapped numerous of individuals on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue operation.

Rescue Operations Underway

Officials in China stated that approximately 350 individuals had made their way down but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Large groups of tourists had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long festive break in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said intense snow had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, stranding hundreds of individuals at campsites at an elevation 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 Weibo, detailing a "intense snowstorm on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"I looked up in the middle of the night and saw that the accumulation had almost covered the top," said a hiker on a social platform. "That was the first time I genuinely experienced the terror of being buried alive."

Personal Accounts

One Chinese trekker mentioned their party had been "too frightened to sleep" on that night as snow rapidly built up around their shelters, forcing them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on Sunday as the weather worsened.

"On the way, we met our guide’s parent who had searched for him. It was then we learned the snow was heavy in the lowlands as well; villagers, unable to reach their children on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The northern and eastern side of Everest is easier to reach than locations on the Nepal side of the border and attracts large crowds of visitors for less technical trekking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Visual Evidence

Images and footage shared on the internet depicted shelters covered by snow and lines of hikers walking through deep drifts to descend the mountain.

"It was very deep, and the path extremely slippery. Trekkers stumbled frequently – a few tumbled, others were bumped by pack animals," said one, who clarified that everyone made it down and were picked up by bus.

Current Status

By Sunday afternoon, about 350 people had reached Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "in good health," official sources reported.

No fewer than 200 additional were still stranded but had been reached, the updates said. Local news stated that scores of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to help people and remove accumulation from obstructing the exit route.

Officials provided minimal updates or updated information about the operation on the following day. Uncertainty remained if the weather had impacted anyone on the north face of Everest, also in Tibet. The area is tightly controlled by the authorities, and journalistic access is limited. The conditions also appears to have have affected phone services, with attempts to contact shops not connecting. Several trekkers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town.

Seasonal Context

October is a busy period for the area, with usually clear and mild weather, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 participants of a hiking party that made it back to Qudang, commented that the climate this year was "not normal."

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

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

Regional Impact

Adjacent nations were affected as well by severe conditions. Heavy rains caused landslides and flash floods that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and killed at least 47 people since Friday in Nepal.