The snowfall buried tents and reduced visibility. The local authorities said that they were in contact with the hikers and that rescue efforts were underway.

The tropical cyclone disrupted transportation, forced more than 151,000 evacuations and raised fears of flooding as it barreled toward Guangdong Province.

One million residents of Guangdong, in southern China, were evacuated before the powerful storm made landfall on Wednesday. At least 18 people have been killed along its path this week.

The storm left 14 dead in Taiwan, and flooded Hong Kong and Macau, disrupting flights.

Thousands were evacuated and hundreds of flights canceled ahead of the major storm.

Officials on Hainan Island, China’s only tropical beach destination, halted public transportation. Businesses were closed in Sanya, a popular resort city on the island.