Hundreds of hikers are stranded near Mount Everest due to a powerful blizzard that showered the Himalayas, Reuters reported, citing Chinese state media CCTV.

Snowfall in the area began on the evening of Friday, Oct. 3, and continued throughout Saturday, Oct. 4.

Many of the hikers caught in the snowstorm have now been guided to safety by rescuers, Reuters reported.

On Sunday, roughly 350 hikers had made it to the small township of Qudang, near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest, and authorities had managed to make contact with an additional 200-plus hikers who remain stranded.

China had its eight-day National Day Golden Week holiday last week, celebrating National Day with the Mid-Autumn Festival. The holidays prompted hundreds of hikers to head to the mountains. Reuters reported that there were hundreds of visitors in the remote valley of Karma, which leads to the eastern Kangshung face of Everest, during that time period.

At one point, 1,000 hikers were trapped

Approximately 1,000 people were trapped due to the storm, according to a report from China's state-backed Jimu News. As a result, officials recruited hundreds of local villagers and rescue teams to help remove snow blocking access to the area surrounding the hikers.

Those who remain in the mountainous area will be brought to Qudang in stages, in line with guidance from the local government, which has assembled the rescue team, Reuters reported.

State media did not report whether local guides and support staff for the hiking groups had been accounted for.

Visitation to the mountain was at its peak season when the storm occurred. October typically offers clear skies following the Indian monsoon season. On late Saturday, ticket sales and entry to the Everest Scenic Area were suspended.

Chen Geshuang, who was part of an 18-person hiking team and had made it to the township, said conditions on the mountain were “wet” and “cold.”

“Hypothermia was a real risk,” she told Reuters. “The weather this year is not normal. The guide said he had never encountered such weather in October. And it happened all too suddenly."

After making their way down the mountain on Sunday, Geshuang and her team were met by villagers who offered them tea and a warm place to stay.

"Back in the village, we had a meal and were finally warm,” she said.

What is Mount Everest?

Mount Everest is the mountain that reaches the highest elevation above sea level in the world.

It's located in the Himalayas between Nepal and Tibet. The summit reaches 8,848 meters, or 29,031 feet, above sea level. According to National Geographic, about 374 climbers from 49 countries have scaled the mountain this year.

Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com

Contributed: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hundreds of hikers are trapped on Mount Everest. Rescue efforts are underway.

Reporting by Michelle Del Rey , USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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