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Rescue teams have escorted all of the last trekkers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to safety, including hundreds of native guides and livestock handlers, authorities announced. This marks the end one of the largest rescue and recovery operations ever conducted in the region.

Massive Rescue Operation Concluded

Numerous of trekkers were left stranded in thick snow over the recent weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually intense snowstorm deposited heavy snowfall across the territory.

Snow kept coming down throughout Saturday in the valley, which rests at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had led approximately 350 hikers to security.

Earlier reports had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were expected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, in addition to more than 300 guides, livestock herders, and other crew members were evacuated, according to government reports released on Tuesday night.

Survivors Recount Severe Situations

One from China trekker shared how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to move to lower ground on Sunday as the weather worsened.

“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; community members, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Expedition Schedules Thwarted

The blizzard also thwarted the goals of mountaineers led by a United States mountaineering company to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between the People's Republic of China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by western explorers a long time ago. In modern times, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a major visitor attraction, the area has brought in an growing number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors visited the Everest region last year, setting a new record.

Area Still Off-Limits

The Everest region remains temporarily inaccessible to the visitors, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of trekkers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one traveler succumbed, due to a blend of hypothermia and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with usually clear and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person trekking group that got back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “unusual.”