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Emergency crews have escorted all of the last trekkers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to security, including hundreds of regional escorts and livestock handlers, officials reported. This wraps up one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts ever seen in the region.

Large-Scale Rescue Effort Completed

Several hundred of hikers were found themselves stuck in heavy snow over the weekend in the isolated Karma valley, after an unusually powerful snowstorm unleashed significant snowfall across the territory.

Snow persisted throughout Saturday in the valley, which sits at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had escorted approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Earlier reports had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were expected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, coupled with more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other support staff were brought out, according to government announcements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Those Rescued Describe Severe Situations

One Chinese hiker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, obliging them to remove it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend on Sunday as the weather became more severe.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we found out the snow was intense in the valley, too; villagers, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Expedition Schedules Disrupted

The blizzard also disrupted the plans of alpinists escorted by a US-based mountaineering company to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first explored by international travelers a long time ago. In the past few years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a major travel draw, the area has drawn an growing number of tourists. More than 540,000 tourists traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a all-time high.

Area Remains Closed

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

Broader Effect

The significant snowfall over the weekend also affected many of trekkers in other parts of western China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one individual lost their life, due to a blend of hypothermia and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Weather

October is typically a busy season for the area, with usually sunny and moderate weather, but one participant of an 18-person hiking party that returned safely to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “atypical.”