🔗 Share this article

Emergency crews have escorted all of the remaining trekkers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to safety, along with numerous of local guides and yak herders, officials announced. This wraps up one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts ever seen in the region.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Completed

Numerous of trekkers were became trapped in deep snow over the past few days in the isolated Karma valley, after an unusually powerful winter blast deposited significant snowfall across the region.

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

Earlier reports had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were expected to reach their destination by Tuesday.

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

Survivors Recount Extreme Situations

One from China hiker described how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They opted to descend on Sunday as the conditions worsened.

“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we learned the snow was heavy in the valley, too; villagers, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Climbing Plans Thwarted

The blizzard also hindered the goals of alpinists guided by a American climbing firm to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first explored by western explorers a century ago. In recent years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor destination, the area has attracted an growing number of travelers. More than 540,000 sightseers traveled to the Everest region last year, setting a new record.

Area Remains Closed

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

Wider Effect

The significant snowfall over the weekend also affected many of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one person died, due to a combination of low body temperature and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Weather

October is typically a high season for the area, with usually fine and pleasant weather, but one member of an 18-person trekking group that returned safely to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “atypical.”