🔗 Share this article All Hikers Now Secure After Multiple Days Trapped in Severe Snowstorm Search parties have successfully guided all of the remaining hikers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in Tibet to safety, including numerous of local guides and livestock handlers, officials announced. This marks the end one of the most extensive search-and-rescue efforts ever seen in the zone. Massive Rescue Effort Concluded Numerous of trekkers were found themselves stuck in heavy snow over the recent weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unexpectedly fierce blizzard unleashed heavy snowfall across the territory. Snow persisted throughout Saturday in the valley, which rests at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had guided approximately 350 hikers to safety. Initial updates had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 travelers were anticipated to reach their destination by Tuesday. In total, 580 trekkers, in addition to more than 300 escorts, animal handlers, and other crew members were evacuated, according to official reports released on Tuesday late in the day. Those Rescued Recount Harsh Situations One Chinese traveler shared how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, obliging them to remove it every 90 minutes. They opted to move to lower ground on Sunday as the situation worsened. “On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we learned the snow was heavy in the valley, too; villagers, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.” Climbing Plans Thwarted The snowstorm also thwarted the plans of mountaineers guided by a US-based expedition outfit to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between China and Nepal. Visitor Increase in the Region Karma valley was first discovered by international travelers a hundred years ago. In modern times, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent visitor destination, the area has drawn an increasing number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors explored the Everest region last year, setting a all-time high. Area Still Off-Limits The Everest region is still currently closed 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, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one individual succumbed, due to a mix of hypothermia and acute mountain sickness. Atypical Weather October is typically a busy season for the area, with typically fine and moderate weather, but one participant of an 18-person trekking group that returned safely to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “atypical.”