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Hikers have recounted encountering "extreme" conditions after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's busiest festive periods stranded hundreds of individuals on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue effort.

Rescue Operations In Progress

Officials in China stated that approximately 350 people had descended safely but at least 200 were still trapped at the Everest Scenic Area, located to the east 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 festive break in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed intense snow 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).

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

"Glancing upward in the late hours and saw that the snow had nearly buried the top," shared a hiker on a social platform. "It was the first time I truly felt the fear of being buried alive."

Eyewitness Reports

One Chinese trekker said their party had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as snow quickly piled up around their shelters, forcing them to clear it hourly. They decided to descend on the next day as the weather deteriorated.

"During the descent, we met our guide’s parent who had come looking for him. It was then we discovered the storm was intense in the valley too; villagers, unable to reach their children on the mountain, were extremely worried."

The north and east side of Everest is easier to reach than locations on the Nepal side of the border and draws high numbers of tourists for less technical hiking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Online Documentation

Images and footage shared on the internet depicted tents buried in snow and rows of hikers walking through waist-high drifts to descend the mountain.

"It was extremely thick, and the path very slick. Trekkers stumbled frequently – a few tumbled, others were bumped by yaks," said one, who clarified that all safely descended and were transported by bus.

Latest Developments

By Sunday afternoon, about 350 individuals had arrived in Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibetan starting point of Everest, "in good health," official sources announced.

At least 200 more were still stranded but had been contacted, the updates said. Media outlets reported that hundreds of rescuers had ascended the mountain to help people and remove accumulation from blocking the way out.

There was minimal updates or updated information 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 region is strictly regulated by the authorities, and media entry is restricted. The conditions also seemed to have disrupted local communications, with attempts to contact shops not connecting. A number of hikers said power was out in Qudang when they arrived.

Seasonal Context

Autumn is a peak season for the area, with usually calm and pleasant weather, 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."

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

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

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were also hit by extreme weather. Heavy rains caused mudslides and flash floods that have closed routes, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since Friday in the neighboring country.