🔗 Share this article

Search parties have safely led all of the remaining trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, including scores of native guides and yak herders, authorities announced. This marks the end one of the most extensive rescue and recovery efforts ever undertaken in the area.

Massive Evacuation Operation Concluded

Numerous of trekkers were left stranded in heavy snow over the past few days in the secluded Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce winter blast unleashed heavy snowfall across the region.

Snow kept coming down all day Saturday in the valley, which rests at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had escorted approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Initial updates had indicated that the last group of roughly 200 travelers were projected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other crew members were evacuated, according to government announcements released on Tuesday night.

Survivors Describe Extreme Situations

One Chinese trekker shared how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, compelling them to remove it every 90 minutes. They opted to descend on Sunday as the situation became more severe.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had set out 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.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

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

Tourism Growth in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by foreign explorers a century ago. In the past few years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a major visitor draw, the area has drawn an rising number of travelers. More than 540,000 sightseers visited the Everest region last year, establishing a all-time high.

Area Remains Off-Limits

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

Broader Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also impacted numerous of hikers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one individual succumbed, due to a mix of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a high season for the area, with typically fine and moderate weather, but one trekker of an 18-person hiking party that got back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “unusual.”