🔗 Share this article

Emergency crews have safely led all of the last hikers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to security, along with hundreds of local guides and animal tenders, local government reported. This concludes one of the most extensive rescue and recovery efforts ever conducted in the region.

Massive Evacuation Effort Completed

Numerous of explorers were became trapped in deep snow over the recent weekend in the isolated Karma valley, after an unexpectedly powerful blizzard unleashed heavy snowfall across the territory.

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

Previous accounts had suggested that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were anticipated to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, coupled with more than 300 local guides, yak herders, and other crew members were rescued, according to official statements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Survivors Recount Harsh Situations

One from China trekker recalled how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, obliging them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They opted to descend on Sunday as the situation deteriorated.

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

Climbing Schedules Thwarted

The severe weather also hindered the objectives of climbers escorted by a American mountaineering company to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first discovered by western adventurers a hundred years ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a major tourism attraction, the area has drawn an increasing number of travelers. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, setting a unprecedented number.

Area Remains Closed

The Everest region remains for the time being closed to the public, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Effect

The significant snowfall over the weekend also influenced hundreds of hikers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person lost their life, due to a combination of exposure and altitude sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a high season for the area, with normally clear and mild weather, but one trekker of an 18-person hiking party that returned safely to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “not normal.”