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Emergency crews have safely led all of the last adventurers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to safety, including numerous of local guides and yak herders, authorities announced. This wraps up one of the most extensive rescue and recovery efforts ever seen in the region.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Completed

Several hundred of explorers were became trapped in deep snow over the past few days in the isolated Karma valley, after an unexpectedly fierce snowstorm dumped substantial snowfall across the area.

Snow kept coming down all day Saturday in the valley, which is located at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had escorted approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Earlier reports had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 individuals were anticipated to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, in addition to more than 300 escorts, livestock herders, and other support staff were evacuated, according to authoritative reports released on Tuesday night.

Survivors Describe Extreme Conditions

One from China hiker recalled how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They opted to go down on Sunday as the conditions became more severe.

“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we realized the snow was intense in the valley, too; villagers, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The blizzard also hindered the objectives of mountaineers escorted by a American mountaineering outfit to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by western explorers a long time ago. In recent years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a major tourism destination, the area has attracted an increasing number of travelers. More than 540,000 visitors traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a all-time high.

Area Still Off-Limits

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

Broader Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one individual succumbed, due to a mix of hypothermia and altitude sickness.

Atypical Weather

October is typically a high season for the area, with typically sunny and pleasant weather, but one participant of an 18-person expedition team that got back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “not normal.”