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Hikers have described facing "extreme" conditions after an unseasonable blizzard during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends trapped hundreds of individuals on Mount Everest, sparking a large-scale rescue effort.

Evacuation Efforts Underway

Chinese authorities stated that around 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.

Large groups of visitors had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long holiday period in China. However, Chinese authorities, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed heavy snowfall had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping numerous of individuals at campsites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the most extreme conditions I've ever faced in all my hiking adventures, without question," Dong Shuchang stated on social media, describing a "intense blizzard on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"I looked up in the late hours and noticed that the snow had almost buried the top," shared a hiker on a social platform. "That was the first time I truly felt the fear of being buried alive."

Eyewitness Reports

A hiker from China mentioned their group had been "too frightened to sleep" on that night as snow rapidly built up around their shelters, compelling 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 father who had come looking for him. It was then we learned the snow was intense in the valley as well; villagers, unable to contact their family on the mountain, were extremely worried."

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

Visual Evidence

Photos and video shared on the internet showed shelters covered by snow and lines of hikers moving through deep drifts to descend the mountain.

"It was extremely thick, and the path extremely slippery. Hikers often slipped – a few tumbled, some were jostled by pack animals," noted a trekker, who clarified that everyone made it down and were transported by bus.

Latest Developments

By the weekend, about 350 people had arrived in Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibetan base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources reported.

No fewer than 200 more remained trapped but had been reached, the reports indicated. Media outlets stated that scores of emergency workers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from blocking the exit route.

There was minimal updates or new details about the rescue effort 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 Chinese government, and journalistic access is restricted. The conditions also seemed to have affected phone services, with attempts to contact shops failing. A number of hikers said power was out in Qudang when they arrived.

Seasonal Context

Autumn is a busy period for the area, with typically calm and pleasant conditions, but one trekker, among 18 members of a hiking party that returned to Qudang, commented that the weather this year was "not normal."

"The guide said he had never encountered conditions like this in October. And it happened very abruptly."

The regional travel department announced ticket sales and access to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from the weekend.

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were affected as well by severe conditions. Heavy rains triggered landslides and sudden flooding that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and killed at least 47 individuals since Friday in Nepal.