🔗 Share this article All Mountaineers Now Secure Following Days Caught in Powerful Snowstorm Search parties have successfully guided all of the remaining trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in Tibet to a secure location, along with hundreds of native guides and yak herders, officials reported. This wraps up one of the most extensive search-and-rescue operations ever undertaken in the region. Large-Scale Rescue Operation Completed Numerous of explorers were became trapped in heavy snow over the recent weekend in the isolated Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce snowstorm dumped significant snowfall across the territory. Snow continued to fall all day Saturday in the valley, which is located at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had guided approximately 350 hikers to security. Previous accounts had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were expected to reach a secure area by Tuesday. In total, 580 hikers, along with more than 300 escorts, animal handlers, and other crew members were evacuated, according to official statements released on Tuesday evening. Survivors Describe Extreme Conditions One Chinese traveler shared how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, compelling them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They chose to move to lower ground on Sunday as the situation deteriorated. “On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we realized the snow was intense in the valley, too; local residents, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.” Expedition Schedules Thwarted The snowstorm also hindered the objectives of alpinists escorted by a American climbing outfit to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between the People's Republic of China and Nepal. Visitor Growth in the Area Karma valley was first discovered by foreign travelers a century ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent travel draw, the area has drawn an growing number of travelers. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, setting a new record. Region Remains Closed The Everest region continues to be temporarily inaccessible to the general public, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu. Wider Effect The significant snowfall over the weekend also impacted hundreds of travelers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person succumbed, due to a combination of hypothermia and acute mountain sickness. Atypical Conditions October is typically a peak season for the area, with normally fine and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person trekking group that got back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “not normal.”