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Search parties have successfully guided all of the last hikers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to security, along with numerous of regional escorts and livestock handlers, officials stated. This marks the end one of the largest search-and-rescue operations ever seen in the area.

Massive Rescue Effort Concluded

Hundreds of hikers were found themselves stuck in heavy snow over the recent weekend in the isolated Karma valley, after an unexpectedly powerful blizzard dumped significant snowfall across the area.

Snow kept coming down all day Saturday in the valley, which sits at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had escorted approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Initial updates had estimated that the last group of roughly 200 individuals were expected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, along with more than 300 local guides, yak herders, and other crew members were brought out, according to authoritative statements released on Tuesday evening.

Those Rescued Describe Extreme Situations

One Chinese traveler described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They opted to go down on Sunday as the situation became more severe.

“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we realized the snow was intense in the valley, too; community members, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The blizzard also hindered the objectives of mountaineers guided by a American expedition outfit to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by western explorers a century ago. In modern times, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant travel destination, the area has drawn an growing number of tourists. More than 540,000 visitors explored the Everest region last year, setting a unprecedented number.

Area Remains Closed

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

Wider Effect

The intense snowfall over the weekend also affected many of hikers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one person died, due to a blend of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Unusual Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with usually sunny and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person hiking party that returned safely to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “not normal.”