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Hikers have recounted facing "harsh" conditions after an unseasonable blizzard during one of China's busiest festive periods trapped hundreds of people on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue effort.

Evacuation Efforts In Progress

Chinese authorities reported that approximately 350 people had made their way down but at least 200 remained stranded 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 journeyed to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long holiday period in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed heavy snowfall had affected the area on the weekend, trapping hundreds of people at campsites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the most extreme weather I've experienced in all my trekking adventures, without question," Dong Shuchang said on Weibo, detailing a "violent convective snowstorm on the east face" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the middle of the night and noticed that the snow had almost buried the peak," said another trekker on a social platform. "It was the first time I truly felt the terror of being buried alive."

Personal Accounts

One Chinese trekker said their party had been "too scared to sleep" on Saturday as snow rapidly built up around their tents, forcing them to remove it hourly. They decided 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 discovered the storm was heavy in the lowlands as well; locals, unable to contact their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The north and east side of Everest is easier to reach than sites on the Nepal side of the border and attracts high numbers of tourists for easier trekking, without summiting the peak.

Visual Evidence

Photos and video shared on the internet showed tents buried in snow and lines of trekkers moving through waist-high drifts to get down the mountain.

"The snow was extremely thick, and the path extremely slippery. Trekkers often slipped – a few tumbled, some were jostled by yaks," noted a trekker, who added that everyone made it down and were transported by bus.

Current Status

By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 individuals had arrived in Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibetan starting point of Everest, "in good health," state media reported.

At least 200 more were still stranded but had been contacted, the updates indicated. Local news stated that scores of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from blocking the way out.

Officials provided little official reporting or new details about the rescue effort on Monday. Uncertainty remained if the storm had affected individuals on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The area is strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and media entry is restricted. The weather also appears to have have disrupted local communications, with calls to local businesses failing. A number of hikers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town.

Weather Patterns

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

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

The regional travel department said admissions and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were halted from the weekend.

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were affected as well by severe conditions. Torrential downpours caused landslides and flash floods that have blocked roads, destroyed crossings, and killed at least 47 people since the start of the weekend in Nepal.