Rescue Efforts Successfully End After Massive Snowstorm Traps Hundreds Near Everest

 

Rescue teams on Tuesday managed to safely evacuate the last group of trekkers, along with hundreds of local guides and yak herders, from the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet. The operation, described as one of the largest in the region's history, was launched after a powerful blizzard left hundreds stranded in deep snow over the weekend, according to reports from Reuters.

 

The severe weather struck the remote Karma Valley, situated at an elevation of around 4,200 meters (13,800 feet), where an unusually heavy snowstorm began late last week and continued through Saturday. By Sunday, around 350 people had already been brought to safety by emergencyAs reported earlier by Reuters, approximately 200 others were still waiting to be rescued but were expected to reach safety by Tuesday. By the end of the mission, a total of 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 guides, yak herders, and support crew members, were successfully evacuated, according to details shared by China’s Xinhua news agency on Tuesday evening.

 

The intense blizzard also interrupted the expedition plans of a U.S.-based group, Madison Mountaineering, whose climbers were preparing to scale Cho Oyu, the 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak located on the border between China and Nepal.

 

Karma Valley, once explored by Western travellers over a century ago, has become an increasingly popular trekking destination as tourism in Tibet’s Everest region has expanded. The area attracted more than 540,000 visitors last year, setting a new record for arrivals.

 

For now, the Everest region remains closed to tourists, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys and the Cho Oyu route, due to ongoing safety concerns, Xinhua reported.