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Rescue teams have successfully guided all of the remaining trekkers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to safety, including scores of regional escorts and animal tenders, officials stated. This wraps up one of the most extensive rescue and recovery operations ever conducted in the area.

Massive Rescue Operation Completed

Hundreds of hikers were left stranded in deep snow over the weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unexpectedly powerful winter blast unleashed heavy snowfall across the region.

Snow continued to fall throughout Saturday in the valley, which sits at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had escorted approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Initial updates had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were expected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, along with more than 300 local guides, yak herders, and other crew members were rescued, according to authoritative announcements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Those Rescued Recount Extreme Situations

One from China hiker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, obliging them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to move to lower ground on Sunday as the conditions became more severe.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we found out the snow was heavy in the valley, too; community members, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Expedition Plans Thwarted

The severe weather also thwarted the goals of alpinists guided by a American expedition outfit to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between China and Nepal.

Tourism Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first visited by international explorers a long time ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor attraction, the area has brought in an rising number of visitors. More than 540,000 tourists visited the Everest region last year, establishing a all-time high.

Area Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region is still temporarily inaccessible to the general public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Effect

The intense snowfall over the weekend also affected numerous of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person succumbed, due to a blend of low body temperature and high-altitude illness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a peak season for the area, with normally fine and mild weather, but one trekker of an 18-person hiking party that got back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “atypical.”