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Emergency crews have escorted all of the last hikers near the eastern slopes of Everest in Tibet to security, including numerous of local guides and livestock handlers, officials announced. This marks the end one of the biggest rescue and recovery missions ever conducted in the zone.

Large-Scale Rescue Operation Completed

Hundreds of explorers were found themselves stuck in heavy snow over the recent weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unexpectedly intense winter blast unleashed substantial snowfall across the area.

Snow persisted throughout Saturday in the valley, which is located at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had escorted approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Previous accounts had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were anticipated to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 local guides, animal handlers, and other crew members were rescued, according to authoritative reports released on Tuesday night.

Survivors Recount Severe Situations

One from China hiker described how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on Sunday as the weather deteriorated.

“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we realized the snow was intense in the valley, too; local residents, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Climbing Plans Disrupted

The severe weather also thwarted the goals of alpinists guided by a American expedition firm 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 Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by international travelers a long time ago. In the past few years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a major travel destination, the area has attracted an rising number of tourists. More than 540,000 tourists traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a new record.

Region Remains Closed

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

Wider Impact

The significant snowfall over the weekend also affected hundreds of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person lost their life, due to a blend of low body temperature and high-altitude illness.

Unusual Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with normally clear and moderate weather, but one participant of an 18-person hiking party that made it back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “not normal.”