All Mountaineers Now Secure After Multiple Days Stranded in Intense Blizzard
Search parties have safely led all of the last hikers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to security, along with hundreds of local guides and livestock handlers, officials reported. This concludes one of the biggest search-and-rescue operations ever undertaken in the area.
Massive Evacuation Operation Concluded
Numerous of trekkers were became trapped in heavy snow over the weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually fierce blizzard unleashed substantial snowfall across the area.
Snow kept coming down all day Saturday in the valley, which sits at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had guided approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.
Initial updates had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 individuals were expected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.
In total, 580 mountaineers, in addition to more than 300 local guides, animal handlers, and other assistants were rescued, according to government reports released on Tuesday night.
Survivors Describe Harsh Conditions
One from China hiker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, obliging them to remove it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on Sunday as the conditions became more severe.
“On the way, we encountered our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we learned the snow was deep in the valley, too; villagers, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”
Expedition Plans Disrupted
The snowstorm also thwarted the objectives of mountaineers escorted by a United States mountaineering firm to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between China and the nation of Nepal.
Tourism Increase in the Area
Karma valley was first explored by western travelers a century ago. In recent years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor attraction, the area has drawn an rising number of travelers. More than 540,000 sightseers traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a new record.
Area Remains Off-Limits
The Everest region remains currently inaccessible to the visitors, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.
Broader Effect
The significant snowfall over the weekend also affected many of travelers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one traveler died, due to a blend of exposure and altitude sickness.
Unusual Conditions
October is typically a high season for the area, with usually sunny and mild weather, but one trekker of an 18-person hiking party that got back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “not normal.”
