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Trekkers have recounted encountering "extreme" conditions after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's busiest festive periods trapped hundreds of people on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue effort.

Evacuation Efforts Underway

Chinese authorities reported that around 350 individuals had descended safely but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the eastern side 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 holiday period in China. However, local officials, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said heavy snowfall had affected the area on the weekend, trapping hundreds of people at tent sites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the most extreme conditions I've ever faced in all my hiking experiences, without question," a Chinese trekker said on Weibo, detailing a "intense blizzard on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the middle of the night and saw that the snow had nearly covered the top," said a hiker on a social platform. "That was the initial instance I truly felt the fear of being buried alive."

Personal Accounts

A hiker from China mentioned their group had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as snow rapidly built up around their tents, forcing them to clear it hourly. They chose to go down on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

"On the way, we met our guide's father who had come looking for him. It was then we learned the storm was intense in the valley too; 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 neighboring side of the border and attracts high numbers of tourists for easier trekking, without summiting the peak.

Online Documentation

Photos and video shared on the internet depicted tents covered by snow and rows of trekkers walking through deep drifts to get down the mountain.

"The snow was very deep, and the path extremely slippery. Hikers stumbled frequently – some fell, some were jostled by pack animals," said one, who clarified that all safely descended and were picked up by bus.

Latest Developments

By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 individuals had arrived in Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibetan base camp of Everest, "in good health," official sources reported.

No fewer than 200 additional remained trapped but had been reached, the updates indicated. Media outlets reported that scores of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to help people and clear snow from obstructing the exit route.

There was little official reporting or new details about the operation on the following day. Uncertainty remained if the storm had impacted anyone on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The region is tightly controlled by the authorities, and media entry is limited. The weather also seemed to have affected phone services, with calls to local businesses not connecting. A number of hikers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they arrived.

Weather Patterns

October is a busy period for the area, with usually calm and pleasant conditions, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 members of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "not normal."

"The guide said he had not experienced such weather in October. And it occurred all too suddenly."

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

Regional Impact

Adjacent nations were also hit by extreme weather. Heavy rains caused landslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since the start of the weekend in Nepal.