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Search parties have successfully guided all of the last trekkers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to safety, including hundreds of native guides and yak herders, local government stated. This marks the end one of the most extensive search-and-rescue efforts ever seen in the region.

Large-Scale Evacuation Operation Completed

Hundreds of hikers were found themselves stuck in thick snow over the recent weekend in the isolated Karma valley, after an unusually fierce blizzard deposited significant snowfall across the territory.

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

Initial updates had suggested that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were projected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, coupled with more than 300 escorts, animal handlers, and other crew members were evacuated, according to authoritative reports released on Tuesday night.

Survivors Recount Severe Conditions

One from China hiker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, obliging them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend on Sunday as the situation became more severe.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we realized the snow was intense in the valley, too; villagers, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Expedition Schedules Disrupted

The blizzard also disrupted the objectives of alpinists escorted by a US-based expedition company to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by western explorers a hundred years ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor draw, the area has attracted an increasing number of tourists. More than 540,000 visitors traveled to the Everest region last year, establishing a unprecedented number.

Area Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region remains currently closed to the visitors, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Effect

The significant snowfall over the weekend also influenced many of trekkers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one traveler lost their life, due to a mix of low body temperature and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with typically fine and pleasant weather, but one trekker of an 18-person trekking group that made it back to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “atypical.”