All Hikers Currently Out of Danger Following Multiple Days Trapped in Severe Winter Storm

Emergency crews have safely led all of the remaining trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to security, along with numerous of local guides and livestock handlers, local government reported. This wraps up one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts ever undertaken in the zone.

Massive Evacuation Operation Concluded

Several hundred of hikers were became trapped in deep snow over the recent weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually fierce blizzard unleashed substantial snowfall across the area.

Snow continued to fall throughout Saturday in the valley, which sits at an typical 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 hikers were anticipated to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, along with more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other support staff were rescued, according to official reports released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Describe Extreme Situations

One Chinese trekker shared how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They opted to go down on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we found out the snow was intense in the valley, too; villagers, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The severe weather also hindered the objectives of climbers escorted 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 Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first visited by western explorers a hundred years ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent travel attraction, the area has brought in an rising number of visitors. More than 540,000 tourists traveled to the Everest region last year, setting a new record.

Area Still Off-Limits

The Everest region continues to be for the time being inaccessible to the public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Effect

The significant snowfall over the weekend also influenced hundreds of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one individual lost their life, due to a combination of hypothermia and acute mountain sickness.

Unusual Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with typically fine and moderate weather, but one trekker of an 18-person trekking group that made it back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “unusual.”