🔗 Share this article

Hikers have recounted facing "harsh" conditions after an unexpected snowstorm during one of China's most crowded festive periods stranded numerous of people on Mount Everest, triggering a large-scale rescue effort.

Rescue Operations Underway

Officials in China stated that approximately 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 Tibet side of the border.

Large groups of tourists had journeyed to the area for "Golden Week," an eight-day festive break in China. However, Chinese authorities, who administer the Tibetan Autonomous Region, said intense snow had affected the area on Friday and Saturday night, trapping numerous of individuals at campsites at an elevation of more than 4,900 meters (16,000 feet).

"It was the harshest conditions I've ever faced in all my hiking experiences, undoubtedly," Dong Shuchang said on social media, describing a "intense blizzard on the east face" of Everest.

"Glancing upward in the middle of the night and saw that the snow had nearly buried the top," shared another trekker on Xiaohongshu. "That was the first time I truly felt the terror of being buried alive."

Personal Accounts

A hiker from China said their party had been "too scared to sleep" on that night as accumulation quickly piled up around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on Sunday as the conditions worsened.

"On the way, we met our guide’s parent who had come looking for him. That's when we discovered the storm 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 Nepal side of the border and draws high numbers of visitors for less technical trekking, not requiring ascent of the peak.

Visual Evidence

Photos and video posted online showed tents covered by snow and lines of hikers walking through waist-high drifts to descend the mountain.

"The snow was extremely thick, and the path very slick. Trekkers often slipped – a few tumbled, some were jostled by pack animals," said one, who clarified that all safely descended and were picked up by bus.

Latest Developments

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

At least 200 additional were still stranded but had been reached, the updates said. Local news stated that hundreds of rescuers had ascended the mountain to assist those trapped and clear snow from obstructing the exit route.

There was little official reporting or new details about the operation on the following day. It was also not clear if the weather had impacted individuals on the north face of Everest, within the same region. The region is strictly regulated by the authorities, and media entry is limited. The conditions also appears to have have affected phone services, with calls to local businesses failing. Several trekkers reported electricity was cut in Qudang when they arrived.

Seasonal Context

October is a busy period for the area, with usually calm and pleasant weather, but Chen Geshuang, one of 18 members 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 the fall. And it occurred very abruptly."

The local tourism authority said ticket sales and access to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended from Saturday.

Broader Effects

Neighbouring countries were also hit by severe conditions. Heavy rains triggered landslides and sudden flooding that have closed routes, destroyed crossings, and claimed the lives of at least 47 people since Friday in the neighboring country.