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Hikers have recounted facing "harsh" situations after an unseasonable blizzard during one of China's busiest festive periods stranded numerous of individuals on Mount Everest, sparking a massive rescue operation.

Evacuation Efforts Underway

Chinese authorities stated that around 350 people had made their way down but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the east of the mountain, on the Tibet side of the border.

Large groups 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, confirmed intense snow had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping numerous of people at tent sites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the harshest weather I've ever faced in all my hiking adventures, without question," a Chinese trekker stated on Weibo, describing a "violent convective blizzard on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"I looked up in the middle of the night and noticed that the snow had nearly buried the top," shared another trekker on a social platform. "It was the initial instance I truly felt the fear of being buried alive."

Eyewitness Reports

A hiker from China mentioned their group had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as snow quickly piled up around their shelters, forcing them to remove it hourly. They decided to go down on Sunday as the weather worsened.

"During the descent, we encountered our guide's father who had searched for him. That's when we discovered the storm was intense in the lowlands as well; villagers, unable to reach their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

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

Visual Evidence

Photos and video posted online depicted tents covered by snow and lines of hikers moving through deep snowbanks to descend the mountain.

"It was extremely thick, and the trail very slick. Trekkers stumbled frequently – a few tumbled, others were bumped by pack animals," said one, who added that everyone made it down and were picked up by bus.

Current Status

By the weekend, about 350 people had reached Qudang, a small town about 30 miles away from the Tibetan starting point of Everest, "in good health," state media reported.

At least 200 additional remained trapped but had been contacted, the reports indicated. Media outlets stated that hundreds of rescuers had ascended the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from blocking the way out.

There was little official reporting or new details about the rescue effort on the following day. Uncertainty remained if the storm had affected individuals on the north face of Everest, within the same region. The area is strictly regulated by the Chinese government, and journalistic access is limited. The conditions also appears to have have affected local communications, with calls to local businesses failing. Several trekkers reported power was out in Qudang when they reached the town.

Weather Patterns

Autumn is a busy period for the region, with usually calm and pleasant conditions, but one trekker, one of 18 participants of a trekking group that made it back to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "unusual."

"The guide said he had not experienced such weather in October. And it occurred all too suddenly."

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

Regional Impact

Neighbouring countries were also hit by extreme weather. Torrential downpours triggered mudslides 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 Nepal.