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Rescue teams have successfully guided all of the remaining adventurers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, including scores of local guides and livestock handlers, authorities announced. This concludes one of the most extensive search-and-rescue efforts ever seen in the region.

Massive Rescue Effort Concluded

Hundreds of trekkers were became trapped in thick snow over the past few days in the isolated Karma valley, after an unusually fierce blizzard deposited substantial snowfall across the region.

Snow persisted all day Saturday in the valley, which is located at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had escorted approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Initial updates had indicated that the last group of roughly 200 individuals were anticipated to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 escorts, yak herders, and other assistants were evacuated, according to authoritative statements released on Tuesday night.

Survivors Recount Harsh Situations

One from China hiker recalled how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, compelling them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down on Sunday as the situation deteriorated.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we found out the snow was intense in the valley, too; local residents, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Expedition Plans Thwarted

The snowstorm also thwarted the objectives of alpinists guided by a United States mountaineering firm to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first discovered by international explorers a century ago. In modern times, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent travel attraction, the area has drawn an increasing number of tourists. More than 540,000 visitors explored the Everest region last year, setting a all-time high.

Region Still Closed

The Everest region continues to be temporarily closed to the public, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Effect

The significant snowfall over the weekend also affected many of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one individual succumbed, due to a mix of hypothermia and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with usually sunny and moderate weather, but one member of an 18-person hiking party that returned safely to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “unusual.”