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Search parties have successfully guided all of the remaining trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, including scores of local guides and animal tenders, local government stated. This marks the end one of the biggest search-and-rescue efforts ever conducted in the area.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Concluded

Numerous of explorers were became trapped in heavy snow over the weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an unusually fierce blizzard dumped substantial snowfall across the area.

Snow kept coming down throughout Saturday in the valley, which sits at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had escorted approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Initial updates had estimated that the last group of roughly 200 travelers were expected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 guides, yak herders, and other crew members were rescued, according to official reports released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Describe Extreme Situations

One from China traveler recalled how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, compelling them to clear it every 90 minutes. They decided to move to lower ground on Sunday as the conditions deteriorated.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we learned the snow was heavy in the valley, too; villagers, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Climbing Schedules Thwarted

The snowstorm also thwarted the objectives of climbers escorted by a American expedition firm to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by international travelers a century ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a major visitor attraction, the area has drawn an increasing number of travelers. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, setting a unprecedented number.

Area Still Off-Limits

The Everest region continues to be temporarily off-limits to the visitors, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The significant snowfall over the weekend also impacted hundreds of travelers in other parts of western China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one traveler lost their life, due to a combination of hypothermia and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a high season for the area, with usually sunny and moderate weather, but one member of an 18-person hiking party that made it back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “atypical.”