🔗 Share this article

Search parties have escorted all of the last trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to safety, including numerous of native guides and yak herders, officials announced. This wraps up one of the biggest rescue and recovery efforts ever conducted in the area.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Completed

Numerous of explorers were left stranded in deep snow over the past few days in the isolated Karma valley, after an unexpectedly fierce snowstorm dumped significant snowfall across the area.

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

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

In total, 580 hikers, coupled with more than 300 escorts, yak herders, and other assistants were evacuated, according to government reports released on Tuesday evening.

Survivors Recount Harsh Situations

One from China hiker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, compelling them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend on Sunday as the situation worsened.

“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we learned the snow was deep in the valley, too; community members, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The severe weather also thwarted the objectives of alpinists escorted by a American expedition firm to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between the People's Republic of China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Area

Karma valley was first explored by foreign adventurers a hundred years ago. In the past few years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent tourism draw, the area has drawn an rising number of visitors. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, establishing a unprecedented number.

Region Still Closed

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

Broader Effect

The intense snowfall over the weekend also affected numerous of trekkers in other parts of western China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one person died, due to a blend of hypothermia and altitude sickness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a high season for the area, with normally sunny and moderate weather, but one participant of an 18-person trekking group that returned safely to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “unusual.”