🔗 Share this article

Rescue teams have escorted all of the remaining adventurers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, including scores of regional escorts and animal tenders, officials stated. This wraps up one of the most extensive search-and-rescue operations ever undertaken in the region.

Massive Rescue Operation Concluded

Hundreds of trekkers were left stranded in deep snow over the recent weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unexpectedly powerful winter blast deposited heavy snowfall across the area.

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

Earlier reports had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 travelers were expected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, coupled with more than 300 escorts, yak herders, and other assistants were rescued, according to official statements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Those Rescued Recount Severe Conditions

One Chinese trekker described 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 decided to move to lower ground on Sunday as the weather deteriorated.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we found out the snow was intense in the valley, too; community members, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Climbing Plans Disrupted

The snowstorm also disrupted the goals of mountaineers guided by a United States climbing outfit to summit 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 recent years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a major visitor attraction, the area has attracted an growing number of tourists. More than 540,000 sightseers visited the Everest region last year, marking a unprecedented number.

Region Still Closed

The Everest region continues to be temporarily closed to the public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also influenced numerous of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one traveler lost their life, due to a mix of low body temperature and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with usually clear and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person trekking group that made it back to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “atypical.”