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Search parties have successfully guided all of the last trekkers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to safety, including numerous of local guides and yak herders, authorities reported. This concludes one of the biggest search-and-rescue efforts ever seen in the region.

Large-Scale Rescue Effort Concluded

Hundreds of explorers were left stranded in heavy snow over the recent weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an exceptionally powerful blizzard dumped substantial snowfall across the region.

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.

Previous accounts had suggested that the remaining roughly 200 individuals were expected to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, in addition to more than 300 guides, yak herders, and other assistants were rescued, according to authoritative reports released on Tuesday evening.

Those Rescued Describe Harsh Situations

One from China traveler described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, obliging them to remove it every 90 minutes. They decided to move to lower ground on Sunday as the weather became more severe.

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

Climbing Plans Disrupted

The blizzard also hindered the plans of climbers escorted by a United States expedition firm to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by western travelers a century ago. In recent years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant tourism destination, the area has drawn an increasing number of visitors. More than 540,000 sightseers explored the Everest region last year, establishing a unprecedented number.

Area Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region remains for the time being off-limits to the visitors, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Effect

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also influenced many of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one traveler died, due to a mix of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Unusual Conditions

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