Every Single Hikers Currently Safe After Days Caught in Severe Snowstorm
Emergency crews have successfully guided all of the last trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in Tibet to a secure location, including scores of regional escorts and animal tenders, officials stated. This concludes one of the largest rescue and recovery missions ever conducted in the area.
Massive Evacuation Operation Completed
Hundreds of trekkers were became trapped in deep snow over the past few days in the remote Karma valley, after an exceptionally powerful blizzard deposited significant snowfall across the area.
Snow kept coming down all day Saturday in the valley, which sits at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had escorted approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.
Initial updates had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 individuals were projected to reach safety by Tuesday.
In total, 580 trekkers, in addition to more than 300 local guides, animal handlers, and other crew members were evacuated, according to authoritative announcements released on Tuesday night.
Those Rescued Describe Severe Conditions
One from China traveler described how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, forcing them to clear it every 90 minutes. They opted to move to lower ground on Sunday as the conditions worsened.
“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had set out 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 deeply concerned.”
Climbing Schedules Thwarted
The severe weather also thwarted the goals of alpinists led by a United States climbing firm to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.
Tourism Increase in the Area
Karma valley was first explored by international explorers a long time ago. In the past few years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor destination, the area has attracted an rising number of travelers. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, marking a all-time high.
Area Still Off-Limits
The Everest region continues to be for the time being inaccessible to the public, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.
Wider Impact
The intense snowfall over the weekend also impacted hundreds of trekkers in other parts of the western regions of China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one individual succumbed, due to a mix of exposure and acute mountain sickness.
Unusual Conditions
October is typically a high season for the area, with typically clear and pleasant weather, but one member of an 18-person trekking group that made it back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “not normal.”
