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Rescue teams have escorted all of the remaining hikers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to safety, including hundreds of native guides and animal tenders, local government stated. This wraps up one of the largest rescue and recovery missions ever undertaken in the region.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Concluded

Numerous of explorers were found themselves stuck in thick snow over the recent weekend in the isolated Karma valley, after an unexpectedly fierce blizzard unleashed substantial snowfall across the area.

Snow continued to fall all day Saturday in the valley, which sits at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had escorted approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Earlier reports had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 travelers were projected to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, in addition to more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other assistants were evacuated, according to government announcements released on Tuesday night.

Survivors Recount Severe Conditions

One Chinese trekker 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 opted to go down on Sunday as the weather deteriorated.

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

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The snowstorm also hindered the plans of alpinists escorted by a American climbing company to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by international adventurers a century ago. In recent years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a major tourism destination, the area has attracted an increasing number of visitors. More than 540,000 sightseers explored the Everest region last year, setting a unprecedented number.

Region Remains Closed

The Everest region continues to be temporarily inaccessible to the public, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also affected numerous of trekkers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one traveler succumbed, due to a combination of exposure and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Weather

October is typically a peak season for the area, with usually sunny and moderate weather, but one participant of an 18-person trekking group that made it back to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “not normal.”