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Search parties have successfully guided all of the last adventurers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to safety, including hundreds of local guides and yak herders, officials announced. This concludes one of the biggest search-and-rescue missions ever conducted in the region.

Massive Rescue Operation Completed

Numerous of trekkers were became trapped in thick snow over the weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unexpectedly intense snowstorm dumped substantial snowfall across the territory.

Snow persisted throughout Saturday in the valley, which is located at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had guided approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Initial updates had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 individuals were projected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, coupled with more than 300 escorts, yak herders, and other support staff were brought out, according to government announcements released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Describe Extreme Conditions

One Chinese trekker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, forcing them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They opted to move to lower ground on Sunday as the conditions worsened.

“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we learned the snow was heavy in the valley, too; community members, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Climbing Schedules Disrupted

The snowstorm also thwarted the plans of climbers led by a United States expedition firm to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by foreign explorers a hundred years ago. In recent years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant tourism draw, the area has drawn an growing number of visitors. More than 540,000 sightseers explored the Everest region last year, setting a all-time high.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region continues to be temporarily off-limits to the general public, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Effect

The intense snowfall over the weekend also affected hundreds of travelers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one person succumbed, due to a mix of low body temperature and altitude sickness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a busy season for the area, with typically clear and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person expedition team that returned safely to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “not normal.”