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Trekkers have recounted encountering "harsh" situations after an unexpected blizzard during one of China's most crowded festive periods trapped numerous of individuals on Mount Everest, triggering a massive rescue effort.

Rescue Operations In Progress

Officials in China stated that around 350 people had made their way down but at least 200 remained stranded at the Everest Scenic Area, situated to the eastern side of the mountain, on the Tibetan side of the border.

Large groups of tourists had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an eight-day holiday period in China. However, local officials, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said heavy snowfall had hit the area on Friday and Saturday night, stranding hundreds of individuals at campsites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the most extreme weather I've ever faced in all my trekking experiences, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang said on Weibo, describing a "violent convective snowstorm on the eastern slope" of Everest.

"I looked up in the middle of the night and saw that the snow had almost covered the peak," said a hiker on a social platform. "That 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 accumulation quickly piled up around their shelters, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on Sunday as the weather worsened.

"During the descent, we encountered our guide's father who had come looking for him. It was then we learned the snow was heavy in the lowlands as well; villagers, unable to contact their family on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The north and east side of Everest is more accessible than locations on the neighboring side of the border and draws high numbers of tourists for easier hiking, without summiting the peak.

Visual Evidence

Images and footage posted online showed tents buried in snow and lines of trekkers walking through deep snowbanks to descend the mountain.

"It was extremely thick, and the path very slick. Hikers stumbled frequently – some fell, some were jostled by pack animals," said one, who clarified that all safely descended and were transported 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, "safe and sound," official sources reported.

At least 200 more remained trapped but had been reached, the reports said. Media outlets reported that scores of rescuers had gone up the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from obstructing the exit route.

Officials provided minimal updates or updated information about the operation on the following day. It was also not clear if the weather had impacted anyone on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The area is strictly regulated by the authorities, and journalistic access is limited. The weather also appears to have have disrupted local communications, with attempts to contact shops not connecting. A number of hikers said power was out in Qudang when they reached the town.

Seasonal Context

Autumn is a peak season for the area, with typically clear and mild conditions, but one trekker, among 18 members of a hiking party that returned to Qudang, said that the climate this year was "not normal."

"Our leader told us he had not experienced conditions like this in October. And it occurred very abruptly."

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

Broader Effects

Adjacent nations were also hit by severe conditions. Heavy rains triggered mudslides and flash floods that have blocked roads, washed away bridges, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since the start of the weekend in Nepal.