🔗 Share this article

Hikers have described facing "harsh" situations after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's most crowded holiday weekends stranded hundreds of people on Mount Everest, sparking a large-scale 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 Tibetan side of the border.

Crowds of tourists had journeyed to the region for "Golden Week," an week-long holiday period in China. However, Chinese authorities, who control the Tibetan Autonomous Region, confirmed intense snow had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, stranding hundreds of individuals at tent sites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"This was the harshest weather I've ever faced in all my trekking adventures, undoubtedly," a Chinese trekker stated on social media, detailing a "intense snowstorm on the east face" of Everest.

"I looked up in the late hours and noticed that the accumulation had nearly buried the top," said a hiker on a social platform. "That was the initial instance I truly felt the terror of being buried alive."

Personal Accounts

One Chinese trekker said their group had been "too scared to sleep" on that night as accumulation rapidly built up around their shelters, forcing them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

"During the descent, we met our guide's father who had searched for him. It was then we discovered the snow was intense in the valley too; villagers, unable to reach their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned."

The northern and eastern side of Everest is more accessible than sites on the Nepal side of the border and attracts high numbers of tourists for easier hiking, without summiting the peak.

Visual Evidence

Photos and video posted online depicted tents covered by snow and lines of trekkers moving through waist-high drifts to descend the mountain.

"The snow was extremely thick, and the trail very slick. Trekkers stumbled frequently – some fell, others were bumped by pack animals," noted a trekker, who added that all safely descended and were picked up by bus.

Current Status

By Sunday afternoon, approximately 350 individuals had arrived in Qudang, a village about 30 miles away from the Tibetan starting point of Everest, "safe and sound," state media announced.

At least 200 more remained trapped but had been contacted, the reports indicated. Local news stated that scores of emergency workers had ascended the mountain to help people and clear snow from blocking the way out.

There was little official reporting or updated information about the rescue effort on the following day. It was also not clear if the storm had affected individuals on the northern side of Everest, within the same region. The region is strictly regulated by the authorities, and journalistic access is restricted. The conditions also seemed to have affected phone services, with calls to local businesses failing. A number of hikers reported power was out in Qudang when they arrived.

Weather Patterns

Autumn is a peak season for the region, with usually calm and pleasant conditions, but Chen Geshuang, among 18 participants of a hiking party that made it back to Qudang, said that the climate this year was "not normal."

"The guide told us he had not experienced conditions like this in October. And it occurred all too suddenly."

The regional travel department announced ticket sales and access to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from the weekend.

Regional Impact

Adjacent nations were also hit by severe conditions. Heavy rains triggered mudslides and flash floods that have closed routes, destroyed crossings, and claimed the lives of at least 47 individuals since the start of the weekend in the neighboring country.