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Search parties have successfully guided all of the remaining hikers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to security, along with numerous of regional escorts and livestock handlers, authorities reported. This concludes one of the biggest search-and-rescue missions ever undertaken in the area.

Large-Scale Rescue Effort Concluded

Hundreds of explorers were became trapped in deep snow over the past few days in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually fierce blizzard unleashed substantial snowfall across the territory.

Snow kept coming down all day Saturday in the valley, which sits at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had led approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Earlier reports had suggested that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach safety by Tuesday.

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

Those Rescued Describe Harsh Situations

One Chinese trekker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, forcing them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down on Sunday as the situation deteriorated.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we learned the snow was intense in the valley, too; villagers, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Expedition Schedules Disrupted

The blizzard also disrupted the plans of climbers guided by a United States climbing firm to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by western adventurers a long time ago. In recent years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a major travel attraction, the area has brought in an rising number of tourists. More than 540,000 sightseers traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a new record.

Region Still Closed

The Everest region continues to be currently inaccessible to the general public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also affected numerous of travelers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one traveler succumbed, due to a combination of hypothermia and altitude sickness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a busy season for the area, with typically sunny and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person trekking group that got back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “atypical.”