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Rescue teams have safely led all of the remaining hikers near the eastern slopes of Everest in Tibet to safety, along with hundreds of regional escorts and livestock handlers, local government announced. This wraps up one of the biggest rescue and recovery operations ever conducted in the zone.

Large-Scale Evacuation Operation Completed

Numerous of trekkers were became trapped in heavy snow over the weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unexpectedly powerful snowstorm dumped significant snowfall across the region.

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

Previous accounts had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, in addition to more than 300 guides, animal handlers, and other assistants were brought out, according to authoritative statements released on Tuesday evening.

Those Rescued Recount Harsh Conditions

One Chinese traveler shared how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, compelling them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They chose to move to lower ground on Sunday as the situation 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; community members, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The blizzard also hindered the plans of alpinists guided by a United States climbing firm to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by western adventurers a century ago. In recent years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant tourism destination, the area has drawn an rising number of tourists. More than 540,000 visitors traveled to the Everest region last year, setting a unprecedented number.

Region Still Closed

The Everest region continues to be for the time being inaccessible to the public, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Effect

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also influenced numerous of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person died, due to a combination of hypothermia and altitude sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a busy season for the area, with typically sunny and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person hiking party that returned safely to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “unusual.”