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Search parties have safely led all of the last hikers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, including hundreds of regional escorts and livestock handlers, authorities announced. This wraps up one of the largest rescue and recovery efforts ever conducted in the region.

Massive Evacuation Operation Concluded

Numerous of explorers were found themselves stuck in deep snow over the recent weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unusually intense snowstorm deposited substantial snowfall across the area.

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

Initial updates had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were expected to reach their destination by Tuesday.

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

Survivors Describe Extreme Conditions

One Chinese hiker shared how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, obliging them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on Sunday as the weather deteriorated.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we learned the snow was deep in the valley, too; community members, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Expedition Schedules Thwarted

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

Visitor Growth in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by western adventurers a hundred years ago. In recent years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant travel draw, the area has drawn an rising number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors traveled to the Everest region last year, establishing a new record.

Area Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region continues to be for the time being off-limits to the general public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

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

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a busy season for the area, with usually clear and mild weather, but one member of an 18-person expedition team that got back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “unusual.”