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Emergency crews have escorted all of the last adventurers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to security, including numerous of native guides and yak herders, local government stated. This concludes one of the most extensive rescue and recovery operations ever seen in the area.

Massive Rescue Operation Completed

Numerous of hikers were became trapped in heavy snow over the weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce winter blast deposited significant snowfall across the area.

Snow kept coming down throughout Saturday in the valley, which is located at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had escorted approximately 350 hikers to security.

Earlier reports had suggested that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were projected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, in addition to more than 300 local guides, yak herders, and other assistants were brought out, according to authoritative reports released on Tuesday late in the day.

Survivors Describe Severe Conditions

One Chinese traveler described how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, obliging them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They decided to move to lower ground on Sunday as the weather deteriorated.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we realized the snow was intense in the valley, too; community members, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Expedition Plans Thwarted

The snowstorm also disrupted the goals of alpinists led by a American climbing firm to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Area

Karma valley was first discovered by foreign travelers a long time ago. In modern times, with the growth 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 all-time high.

Region Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region is still currently inaccessible to the general public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Effect

The intense snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of trekkers in other parts of western China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one traveler succumbed, due to a blend of exposure and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a high season for the area, with normally clear and mild weather, but one member of an 18-person trekking group that made it back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “atypical.”