A search operation was underway in southwestern Norway on Friday evening for a 21-year-old Chinese man who reportedly lost his way in the mountains several hours earlier.

The man, whose identity was not immediately known, called his friends at about 15:00 local time (1400 GMT), saying that he was lost on his way up to the famous tourist spot Preikestolen, according to a report on the website of the Norwegian-language newspaper Aftenposten.

His friends, who stayed in a hotel in Stavanger, notified the police at 20:00 local time (1900 GMT).

A storm was raging in the area and the bad weather condition was hindering the searchers, including several volunteers.

The man "is fairly scantily dressed and he has no food and drink with him," said Anatoly Bjoernsen, a police officer from the Norwegian county of Rogaland.

A coordination center was established by local police to coordinate the search operation.

The man was last seen 2.5 km away from the parking place on the way up the Preikestolen.

He was with his two friends, who decided to return to Stavanger while he chose to continue the planned trip.