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Emergency crews have safely led all of the remaining adventurers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to security, including scores of native guides and livestock handlers, officials announced. This wraps up one of the largest search-and-rescue operations ever conducted in the region.

Large-Scale Evacuation Operation Completed

Numerous of hikers were became trapped in thick snow over the past few days in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually intense snowstorm deposited significant snowfall across the area.

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

Earlier reports had estimated that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were projected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, in addition to more than 300 guides, yak herders, and other crew members were evacuated, according to government statements released on Tuesday evening.

Those Rescued Recount Severe Conditions

One Chinese trekker recalled how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

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

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The blizzard also disrupted the objectives of mountaineers led by a United States mountaineering company to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between the People's Republic of China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by international explorers a long time ago. In modern times, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent visitor destination, the area has attracted an growing number of visitors. More than 540,000 tourists visited the Everest region last year, establishing a new record.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region is still temporarily closed to the visitors, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also influenced numerous of hikers in other parts of western China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one traveler lost their life, due to a blend of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a high season for the area, with normally clear and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person hiking party that made it back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “unusual.”