🔗 Share this article

Rescue teams have escorted all of the remaining hikers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to safety, along with hundreds of native guides and yak herders, officials reported. This concludes one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts ever seen in the area.

Large-Scale Evacuation Operation Completed

Hundreds of hikers were found themselves stuck in heavy snow over the past few days in the secluded Karma valley, after an unexpectedly powerful winter blast deposited heavy snowfall across the area.

Snow continued to fall all day Saturday in the valley, which sits at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had led approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Previous accounts had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, coupled with more than 300 local guides, animal handlers, and other support staff were evacuated, according to official statements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Those Rescued Recount Severe Conditions

One Chinese traveler described how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on Sunday as the situation deteriorated.

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

Climbing Schedules Disrupted

The snowstorm also disrupted the plans of mountaineers escorted by a US-based expedition firm 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.

Visitor Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by western adventurers a hundred years ago. In the past few years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant tourism draw, the area has brought in an increasing number of tourists. More than 540,000 sightseers explored the Everest region last year, setting a all-time high.

Area Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region remains temporarily off-limits to the general public, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also impacted hundreds of trekkers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one individual died, due to a mix of hypothermia and acute mountain sickness.

Unusual Conditions

October is typically a busy season for the area, with typically sunny and pleasant weather, but one participant of an 18-person hiking party that got back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “unusual.”