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Emergency crews have safely led all of the last adventurers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to a secure location, including scores of native guides and yak herders, officials announced. This concludes one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts ever conducted in the region.

Large-Scale Rescue Effort Completed

Numerous of explorers were became trapped in deep snow over the weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually intense snowstorm deposited substantial snowfall across the territory.

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

Earlier reports had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 individuals were projected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, coupled with more than 300 guides, animal handlers, and other crew members were brought out, according to government announcements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Those Rescued Describe Harsh Conditions

One from China trekker recalled how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, forcing them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to move to lower ground on Sunday as the conditions became more severe.

“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we realized the snow was heavy in the valley, too; local residents, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Expedition Plans Thwarted

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

Tourism Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first visited by foreign travelers a long time ago. In recent years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent visitor draw, the area has drawn an growing number of tourists. More than 540,000 visitors explored the Everest region last year, setting a new record.

Region Remains Closed

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

Broader Effect

The significant snowfall over the weekend also influenced numerous of travelers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one person succumbed, due to a blend of low body temperature and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Weather

October is typically a peak season for the area, with normally fine and mild weather, but one trekker of an 18-person trekking group that got back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “not normal.”