🔗 Share this article Mount Everest Trekkers Describe 'Severe' Weather as Massive Operation Persists Trekkers have recounted encountering "harsh" conditions after an unseasonable blizzard during one of China's most crowded festive periods stranded numerous of individuals on Mount Everest, triggering a large-scale rescue effort. Evacuation Efforts Underway Chinese authorities reported 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 Tibetan side of the border. Crowds of tourists had traveled to the region for "Golden Week," an eight-day holiday period in China. However, Chinese authorities, 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 harshest conditions I've experienced in all my hiking experiences, undoubtedly," a Chinese trekker stated on social media, describing a "intense snowstorm on the east face" of Everest. "I looked up in the late hours and noticed that the accumulation had almost covered the top," said a hiker on Xiaohongshu. "It was the first time I genuinely experienced the fear of being buried alive." Personal Accounts One Chinese trekker said their group had been "too frightened to sleep" on Saturday as accumulation quickly piled up around their shelters, compelling them to remove it hourly. They decided to descend on the next day as the weather deteriorated. "On the way, we encountered our guide’s parent who had searched for him. It was then we learned the storm was heavy in the valley as well; locals, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried." The north and east side of Everest is more accessible 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. Visual Evidence Photos and video posted online showed shelters buried in snow and rows of trekkers walking through deep drifts to get down the mountain. "The snow was extremely thick, and the trail very slick. Hikers stumbled frequently – a few tumbled, some were jostled by pack animals," said one, who clarified that everyone made it down and were picked up by bus. Latest Developments By the weekend, about 350 people had reached Qudang, a village roughly 50 kilometers away from the Tibetan starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," official sources announced. At least 200 more were still stranded but had been contacted, the updates said. Media outlets reported that hundreds of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to help people and remove accumulation from blocking the exit route. Officials provided minimal updates or new details about the rescue effort on Monday. It was also not clear if the storm had affected individuals on the north face of Everest, within the same region. The region is tightly controlled by the Chinese government, and media entry is restricted. The weather also seemed to have disrupted phone services, with attempts to contact shops failing. A number of hikers reported electricity was cut in Qudang when they arrived. Weather Patterns Autumn is a peak season for the area, with usually clear and mild weather, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 participants of a hiking party that made it back to Qudang, said that the weather this year was "unusual." "Our leader said he had never encountered conditions like this in October. And it happened very abruptly." The local tourism authority said admissions and access to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from the weekend. Broader Effects Neighbouring countries were affected as well by extreme weather. Torrential downpours caused landslides and sudden flooding that have closed routes, destroyed crossings, and killed at least 47 individuals since the start of the weekend in the neighboring country.