🔗 Share this article Mount Everest Hikers Report 'Extreme' Conditions as Large-Scale Rescue Effort Continues Hikers have described encountering "harsh" situations after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's busiest festive periods stranded numerous of individuals on Mount Everest, triggering a large-scale rescue effort. Rescue Operations Underway Officials in China reported that around 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 Tibet side of the border. Crowds of visitors had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an eight-day 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 numerous of individuals at campsites at an altitude of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet). "This was the most extreme weather I've experienced in all my trekking adventures, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang stated on Weibo, detailing a "intense snowstorm on the eastern slope" of Everest. "I looked up in the middle of the night and saw that the snow had nearly buried the top," said a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the initial instance I truly felt the fear of being buried alive." Eyewitness Reports One Chinese trekker said their group had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as accumulation rapidly built up around their shelters, compelling them to remove it hourly. They decided to descend on the next day as the conditions deteriorated. "During the descent, we encountered our guide's father who had come looking for him. It was then we discovered the snow was intense in the valley as well; 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 high numbers of tourists for easier hiking, not requiring ascent of the peak. Visual Evidence Photos and video posted online depicted tents covered by snow and rows of hikers walking through deep drifts to descend the mountain. "It was extremely thick, and the path extremely slippery. Hikers stumbled frequently – a few tumbled, others were bumped by pack animals," said one, who clarified that all safely descended and were transported by bus. Current Status By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 people had reached Qudang, a village roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibet-side base camp of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources announced. No fewer than 200 more were still stranded but had been reached, the updates indicated. Media outlets reported that scores of rescuers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and remove accumulation from obstructing the exit route. There was little official reporting or updated information about the operation on Monday. Uncertainty remained if the weather had affected individuals on the north face of Everest, also in Tibet. The area is strictly regulated by the authorities, and media entry is limited. The conditions also seemed to have disrupted local communications, with attempts to contact shops failing. Several trekkers said electricity was cut in Qudang when they arrived. Weather Patterns Autumn is a busy period for the region, with usually calm and pleasant conditions, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 participants of a trekking group that returned to Qudang, commented that the weather this year was "not normal." "The guide said he had not experienced conditions like this in the fall. And it happened very abruptly." The local tourism authority said admissions and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from Saturday. Regional Impact Adjacent nations were also hit by severe conditions. Heavy rains caused landslides and sudden flooding that have blocked roads, washed away bridges, and killed at least 47 individuals since the start of the weekend in Nepal.