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Trekkers have recounted facing "harsh" conditions after an unseasonable snowstorm during one of China's most crowded festive periods stranded hundreds of people on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue operation.

Evacuation Efforts In Progress

Chinese authorities stated that around 350 people had descended safely but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the east 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 festive break in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed heavy snowfall had hit the area on the weekend, trapping numerous of people at tent sites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the harshest weather I've ever faced in all my hiking experiences, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang stated on social media, describing a "intense blizzard on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"I looked up in the late hours and saw that the accumulation had nearly covered the top," said another trekker on a social platform. "It was the first time I truly felt the fear of being engulfed by snow."

Personal Accounts

One Chinese trekker mentioned their party had been "too frightened to sleep" on that night as accumulation quickly piled up around their tents, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend on Sunday as the conditions worsened.

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

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

Online Documentation

Images and footage posted online depicted tents buried in snow and lines of hikers moving through deep snowbanks to get down the mountain.

"The snow was extremely thick, and the path extremely slippery. Trekkers stumbled frequently – 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, approximately 350 people had arrived in Qudang, a village roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibet-side starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," state media reported.

At least 200 more remained trapped but had been contacted, the updates indicated. Media outlets reported that scores of rescuers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from blocking the exit route.

There was little official reporting or new details about the rescue effort on Monday. Uncertainty remained if the weather had impacted anyone on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The area is tightly controlled by the Chinese government, and media entry is limited. The weather also seemed to have disrupted phone services, with calls to local businesses failing. Several trekkers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they arrived.

Seasonal Context

Autumn is a busy period for the area, with usually calm and pleasant conditions, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 participants of a hiking party that made it back to Qudang, commented that the climate this year was "unusual."

"The guide said he had not experienced conditions like this in October. And it happened all too suddenly."

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

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were also hit by severe conditions. Heavy rains triggered mudslides and flash floods that have blocked roads, destroyed crossings, and killed at least 47 people since Friday in the neighboring country.