Due to a severe snowstorm affecting the eastern slope of Everest in Tibet, rescue teams have successfully evacuated all tourists who were stranded. According to Reuters, around a thousand people were trapped in the Karma Valley at an altitude of approximately 4,200 meters due to a sudden snowstorm that blocked roads.
As part of one of the largest rescue operations in the region, starting from Sunday, 580 tourists were evacuated, along with over 300 guides and support staff.
The snowstorm also disrupted the plans of climbers who were aiming to summit Cho Oyu (8188 m) with the American company Madison Mountaineering, located on the border of China and Nepal.
It is noted that the area around Everest, including the Karma and Rongar valleys as well as Cho Oyu, remains temporarily closed to visitors.
On October 5, it was reported that nearly a thousand people were trapped in a snow drift on Everest in Tibet. The snowstorm began on the evening of Friday, October 3, and continued throughout Saturday, October 4. In the evening of Saturday, travel agencies suspended ticket sales, and local authorities prohibited entry to Everest.