Every Single Trekkers Currently Safe After Days Trapped in Intense Blizzard

Emergency crews have safely led all of the remaining trekkers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, along with hundreds of native guides and yak herders, authorities reported. This wraps up one of the most extensive rescue and recovery operations ever undertaken in the zone.

Large-Scale Rescue Operation Completed

Hundreds of explorers were became trapped in deep snow over the past few days in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually powerful snowstorm dumped substantial snowfall across the region.

Snow kept coming down all day Saturday in the valley, which rests at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had guided approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Initial updates had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, along with more than 300 escorts, yak herders, and other support staff were rescued, according to official announcements released on Tuesday night.

Survivors Recount Severe Situations

One Chinese hiker recalled how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They opted 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, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

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

Visitor Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by western explorers a century ago. In modern times, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent tourism attraction, the area has brought in an increasing number of tourists. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, marking a all-time high.

Region Still Closed

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

Broader Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also influenced numerous of hikers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one traveler lost their life, due to a mix of hypothermia and altitude sickness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a peak season for the area, with typically clear and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person hiking party that returned safely to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “unusual.”