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Rescue teams have safely led all of the last trekkers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, along with numerous of native guides and animal tenders, officials announced. This wraps up one of the biggest search-and-rescue missions ever seen in the area.

Massive Evacuation Operation Completed

Several hundred of explorers were left stranded in thick snow over the recent weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unexpectedly fierce blizzard dumped substantial 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 led approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Previous accounts had estimated that the last group of roughly 200 individuals were projected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other assistants were brought out, according to official reports released on Tuesday evening.

Survivors Recount Severe Conditions

One from China trekker shared how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, forcing them to clear it every 90 minutes. They opted to move to lower ground on Sunday as the conditions became more severe.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we found out the snow was deep in the valley, too; community members, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Climbing Plans Thwarted

The snowstorm also thwarted the objectives of mountaineers escorted by a American climbing company to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by foreign travelers a hundred years ago. In the past few years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor destination, the area has brought in an increasing number of tourists. More than 540,000 visitors explored the Everest region last year, establishing a unprecedented number.

Region Still Off-Limits

The Everest region is still temporarily closed to the visitors, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Effect

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one traveler died, due to a combination of low body temperature and altitude sickness.

Unusual Weather

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