🔗 Share this article

Emergency crews have successfully guided all of the remaining hikers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to safety, along with hundreds of native guides and livestock handlers, local government reported. This wraps up one of the largest rescue and recovery missions ever conducted in the zone.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Completed

Numerous of explorers were became trapped in heavy snow over the past few days in the secluded Karma valley, after an unexpectedly intense blizzard deposited significant snowfall across the area.

Snow continued to fall 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.

Earlier reports had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 individuals were anticipated to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other support staff were rescued, according to official announcements released on Tuesday night.

Survivors Recount Extreme Conditions

One from China hiker recalled how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, obliging them to clear it every 90 minutes. They opted to descend on Sunday as the situation deteriorated.

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

Expedition Schedules Disrupted

The blizzard also thwarted the plans of mountaineers escorted by a US-based expedition outfit to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by western explorers a century ago. In the past few years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor attraction, the area has drawn an growing number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors explored the Everest region last year, establishing a new record.

Area Remains Off-Limits

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

Broader Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also impacted hundreds of travelers in other parts of western China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one traveler succumbed, due to a blend of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a busy season for the area, with usually clear and moderate weather, but one participant of an 18-person trekking group that returned safely to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “atypical.”