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Trekkers have described encountering "extreme" conditions after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's busiest festive periods stranded numerous of people on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue effort.

Evacuation Efforts In Progress

Officials in China stated that approximately 350 individuals had made their way down but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Large groups of visitors had traveled to the area for "Golden Week," an week-long holiday period 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 altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

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

"I looked up in the middle of the night and saw that the accumulation had nearly covered the peak," said a hiker on a social platform. "It was the first time I genuinely experienced the terror of being engulfed by snow."

Eyewitness Reports

One Chinese trekker mentioned their group had been "too scared to sleep" on Saturday as snow quickly piled up around their tents, forcing them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend on the next day as the weather worsened.

"During the descent, we encountered our guide’s parent who had searched for him. It was then we learned the storm was intense in the lowlands too; locals, unable to reach their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The northern and eastern side of Everest is easier to reach than locations on the neighboring side of the border and draws large crowds of tourists for easier hiking, without summiting the peak.

Online Documentation

Photos and video shared on the internet showed tents buried in snow and lines of trekkers moving through deep drifts to descend the mountain.

"The snow was extremely thick, and the path extremely slippery. Hikers often slipped – some fell, others were bumped by pack animals," said one, who clarified that all safely descended and were picked up by bus.

Latest Developments

By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 people had arrived in Qudang, a village roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "in good health," state media announced.

No fewer than 200 additional remained trapped but had been contacted, the updates indicated. Media outlets reported that scores of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to assist those trapped and remove accumulation from blocking the exit route.

There was minimal updates or updated information about the rescue effort on Monday. Uncertainty remained if the storm had affected anyone on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The region is tightly controlled by the Chinese government, and media entry is restricted. The conditions also appears to have have affected phone services, with attempts to contact shops failing. Several trekkers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town.

Weather Patterns

October is a busy period for the area, with usually clear and mild conditions, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 members of a hiking party that returned to Qudang, said that the climate this year was "unusual."

"Our leader said he had never encountered conditions like this in the fall. And it occurred all too suddenly."

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

Regional Impact

Neighbouring countries were affected as well by severe conditions. Torrential downpours triggered landslides and sudden flooding that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since the start of the weekend in the neighboring country.