All hikers stranded for days near the eastern face of Mount Everest in Tibet have been safely evacuated, Chinese authorities confirmed on Wednesday, after a large-scale rescue operation overcame one of the worst blizzards to hit the region in years.

The stranded group, trapped in the Karma Valley a remote, high-altitude area east of Everest faced freezing temperatures and blocked trails following a weekend snowstorm. Nearly 580 trekkers and more than 300 guides and yak herders were caught in the sudden weather shift.

By Monday, around 350 people had reached lower ground, while rescue teams completed the evacuation of the remaining hikers by Tuesday evening. Rescuers relied on drones, horses, and ground teams to locate survivors, often battling waist-deep snow and sub-zero conditions.

Several hikers were treated for hypothermia and altitude sickness, but all are now in stable condition. Authorities confirmed at least one death in a nearby region due to exposure and altitude complications.

Officials have temporarily closed the Everest region, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys and Mount Cho Oyu, pending safety inspections and weather stabilization.

Eyewitnesses described the ordeal as “terrifying,” with tents collapsing under snow every few minutes. “We had to clear snow constantly to survive the night,” one trekker told Chinese media.

The rescue marks one of the largest coordinated evacuation missions ever carried out in the Tibetan Himalayas.