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Rescue teams have successfully guided all of the remaining hikers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, along with numerous of local guides and animal tenders, local government reported. This wraps up one of the biggest search-and-rescue missions ever conducted in the zone.

Massive Evacuation Effort Completed

Numerous of hikers were found themselves stuck in deep snow over the weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unexpectedly powerful snowstorm deposited heavy snowfall across the territory.

Snow continued to fall throughout Saturday in the valley, which sits at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had guided approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

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

In total, 580 hikers, coupled with more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other support staff were rescued, according to official reports released on Tuesday night.

Survivors Describe Severe Conditions

One Chinese traveler recalled 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 move to lower ground on Sunday as the situation became more severe.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we realized the snow was heavy in the valley, too; local residents, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Expedition Schedules Disrupted

The severe weather also thwarted the goals of climbers guided by a US-based expedition outfit to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by foreign adventurers a century ago. In recent years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant travel attraction, the area has brought in an growing number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors visited the Everest region last year, marking a new record.

Region Remains Off-Limits

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

Wider Effect

The intense snowfall over the weekend also influenced many of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one traveler died, due to a mix of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Unusual Conditions

October is typically a busy season for the area, with normally clear 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.”