🔗 Share this article All Hikers Now Out of Danger Following Multiple Days Trapped in Severe Winter Storm Emergency crews have successfully guided all of the remaining hikers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, including numerous of native guides and animal tenders, officials announced. This concludes one of the most extensive search-and-rescue efforts ever conducted in the zone. Large-Scale Rescue Operation Concluded Numerous of trekkers were became trapped in heavy snow over the past few days in the secluded Karma valley, after an unusually fierce snowstorm dumped substantial snowfall across the area. Snow persisted throughout Saturday in the valley, which sits at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had guided approximately 350 hikers to safety. Initial updates had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were projected to reach their destination by Tuesday. In total, 580 mountaineers, along with more than 300 escorts, livestock herders, and other support staff were evacuated, according to authoritative reports released on Tuesday night. Survivors Recount Extreme Conditions One Chinese traveler recalled how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, obliging them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on Sunday as the conditions worsened. “On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we learned the snow was intense in the valley, too; local residents, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.” Expedition Plans Thwarted The snowstorm also thwarted the objectives of climbers guided by a United States expedition company to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between the People's Republic of China and Nepal. Visitor Growth in the Region Karma valley was first visited by western explorers a century ago. In the past few years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent travel destination, the area has drawn an growing number of travelers. More than 540,000 visitors visited the Everest region last year, marking a all-time high. Area Remains Closed The Everest region remains currently inaccessible to the public, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu. Wider Effect The intense snowfall over the weekend also influenced hundreds of travelers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one person lost their life, due to a combination of hypothermia and altitude sickness. Unusual Weather October is typically a busy season for the area, with normally clear and mild weather, but one trekker of an 18-person hiking party that made it back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “not normal.”