đ Share this article The World's Highest Peak Trekkers Report 'Severe' Conditions as Large-Scale Rescue Effort Persists Hikers have described facing "harsh" conditions after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's most crowded festive periods stranded numerous of individuals on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue operation. Evacuation Efforts In Progress Officials in China stated that around 350 individuals had descended safely but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, located to the east of the mountain, on the Tibet 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 administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said heavy snowfall had hit the area on Friday and Saturday night, stranding hundreds of individuals 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, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang stated on social media, describing a "violent convective blizzard on the eastern slope" of Everest. "I looked up in the late hours and saw that the accumulation had nearly covered the peak," shared a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the first time I genuinely experienced the fear of being buried alive." Eyewitness Reports A hiker from China said their group had been "too scared to sleep" on that night as snow quickly piled up around their shelters, compelling them to clear it hourly. They decided to descend on the next day as the conditions deteriorated. "During the descent, we met our guide's father who had searched for him. That's when we discovered the snow was intense in the valley too; locals, unable to contact their family 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 trekking, not requiring ascent of the peak. Online Documentation Photos and video shared on the internet showed shelters buried in snow and rows of hikers moving through deep snowbanks to get down the mountain. "It was extremely thick, and the trail very slick. Trekkers often slipped â some fell, some were jostled by pack animals," noted a trekker, who added that all safely descended and were transported by bus. Current Status By the weekend, about 350 individuals had reached Qudang, a small town roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibetan starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources reported. At least 200 more remained trapped but had been reached, the updates said. Media outlets stated that hundreds of emergency workers had gone up the mountain to help people and remove accumulation from obstructing the way out. Officials provided minimal updates or updated information about the rescue effort on the following day. Uncertainty remained if the weather had impacted individuals on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The region is strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and journalistic access is limited. The weather also seemed to have disrupted phone services, with calls to local businesses not connecting. Several trekkers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they reached the town. Seasonal Context October is a busy period for the region, with typically clear and mild conditions, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 members of a hiking party that returned to Qudang, commented that the weather this year was "not normal." "Our leader told us he had not experienced such weather in the fall. And it happened all too suddenly." The local tourism authority said admissions and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were halted from the weekend. Broader Effects Neighbouring countries were also hit by extreme weather. Heavy rains 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.