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Emergency crews have successfully guided all of the remaining hikers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to security, along with hundreds of local guides and yak herders, local government reported. This marks the end one of the biggest search-and-rescue efforts ever undertaken in the region.

Large-Scale Rescue Effort Completed

Several hundred of hikers were became trapped in deep snow over the weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unusually fierce snowstorm unleashed heavy snowfall across the area.

Snow kept coming down throughout Saturday in the valley, which rests at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had escorted approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

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

In total, 580 trekkers, coupled with more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other support staff were evacuated, according to government statements released on Tuesday evening.

Survivors Describe Harsh Situations

One Chinese trekker recalled how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, obliging them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down on Sunday as the conditions became more severe.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we learned the snow was deep in the valley, too; villagers, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Climbing Schedules Thwarted

The snowstorm also hindered the objectives of climbers guided by a US-based climbing outfit to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first explored by western explorers a century ago. In the past few years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant tourism draw, the area has brought in an rising number of tourists. More than 540,000 tourists visited the Everest region last year, marking a unprecedented number.

Region Still Off-Limits

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

Wider Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of travelers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one traveler died, due to a mix of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a high season for the area, with typically clear and pleasant weather, but one member of an 18-person expedition team that returned safely to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “unusual.”