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Rescue teams have safely led all of the remaining hikers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, including scores of regional escorts and animal tenders, local government stated. This wraps up one of the biggest search-and-rescue missions ever undertaken in the zone.

Massive Evacuation Effort Concluded

Hundreds of hikers were left stranded in heavy snow over the weekend in the isolated Karma valley, after an exceptionally powerful blizzard unleashed heavy snowfall across the area.

Snow persisted all day Saturday in the valley, which rests at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had guided approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Earlier reports had suggested that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were anticipated to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, coupled with more than 300 local guides, yak herders, and other crew members were evacuated, according to government statements released on Tuesday evening.

Survivors Describe Extreme Situations

One Chinese trekker described how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend on Sunday as the conditions became more severe.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we learned the snow was heavy in the valley, too; villagers, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The snowstorm also hindered the goals of mountaineers led by a United States mountaineering outfit to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first visited by international travelers a long time ago. In the past few years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent tourism attraction, the area has attracted an rising number of tourists. More than 540,000 sightseers visited the Everest region last year, marking a unprecedented number.

Region Still Off-Limits

The Everest region is still for the time being closed to the public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Effect

The significant snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one traveler lost their life, due to a combination of low body temperature and altitude sickness.

Atypical Weather

October is typically a peak season for the area, with normally clear and pleasant weather, but one participant of an 18-person expedition team that made it back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “atypical.”