🔗 Share this article All Trekkers Currently Secure Following Days Stranded in Intense Blizzard Search parties have safely led all of the last adventurers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to safety, along with numerous of native guides and livestock handlers, authorities stated. This marks the end one of the biggest rescue and recovery operations ever undertaken in the zone. Large-Scale Evacuation Operation Completed Hundreds of trekkers were left stranded in deep snow over the past few days in the secluded Karma valley, after an unexpectedly fierce snowstorm unleashed heavy snowfall across the territory. Snow persisted throughout 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 suggested that the last group of roughly 200 individuals were projected to reach safety by Tuesday. In total, 580 hikers, coupled with more than 300 local guides, animal handlers, and other crew members were brought out, according to official announcements released on Tuesday night. Survivors Recount Harsh Situations One Chinese hiker recalled how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, forcing them to clear 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 learned the snow was deep in the valley, too; villagers, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.” Climbing Schedules Disrupted The snowstorm also disrupted the objectives of mountaineers guided by a US-based climbing company to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between the People's Republic of China and the nation of Nepal. Tourism Growth in the Area Karma valley was first explored by international explorers a long time ago. In modern times, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant travel attraction, the area has drawn an rising number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors visited the Everest region last year, establishing a new record. Area Remains Off-Limits The Everest region continues to be for the time being inaccessible to the visitors, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu. Wider Impact The heavy snowfall over the weekend also influenced hundreds of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one individual succumbed, due to a combination of exposure and altitude sickness. Atypical Weather October is typically a busy season for the area, with normally fine and pleasant weather, but one member of an 18-person trekking group that returned safely to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “not normal.”