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Hikers have described facing "extreme" conditions after an unseasonable snowstorm during one of China's busiest holiday weekends trapped numerous of people on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue effort.

Evacuation Efforts Underway

Officials in China stated that around 350 individuals had made their way down 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.

Large groups of visitors had journeyed to the area for "Golden Week," an week-long festive break in China. However, Chinese authorities, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said intense snow had hit the area on Friday and Saturday night, stranding numerous of people at campsites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the most extreme weather I've ever faced in all my hiking adventures, undoubtedly," a Chinese trekker said on Weibo, detailing a "violent convective snowstorm on the east face" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the late hours and saw that the accumulation had almost covered the top," shared another trekker on a social platform. "It was the initial instance I genuinely experienced the fear of being engulfed by snow."

Eyewitness Reports

A hiker from China said their party had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as accumulation quickly piled up around their shelters, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on Sunday as the weather worsened.

"On the way, we met our guide's father who had searched for him. It was then we discovered the storm was intense in the valley as well; villagers, unable to contact their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

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

Visual Evidence

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

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

Current Status

By the weekend, approximately 350 individuals had arrived in Qudang, a small town about 30 miles away from the Tibet-side starting point of Everest, "in good health," state media reported.

At least 200 more remained trapped but had been contacted, the updates indicated. Media outlets stated that hundreds of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from blocking the way out.

There was little official reporting or new details about the rescue effort on Monday. Uncertainty remained if the storm had affected anyone on the north face of Everest, within the same region. The area is tightly controlled by the Chinese government, and journalistic access is restricted. The conditions also seemed to have affected local communications, with calls to local businesses failing. Several trekkers said power was out in Qudang when they arrived.

Seasonal Context

October is a peak season for the region, with typically clear and mild weather, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 members of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, commented that the weather this year was "unusual."

"Our leader told us he had never encountered conditions like this in the fall. And it occurred very abruptly."

The local tourism authority announced ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were halted from the weekend.

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were affected as well by extreme weather. Heavy rains caused mudslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 people since the start of the weekend in Nepal.