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Emergency crews have safely led all of the remaining trekkers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to security, including numerous of native guides and yak herders, authorities reported. This marks the end one of the most extensive search-and-rescue efforts ever undertaken in the zone.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Completed

Hundreds of explorers were became trapped in heavy snow over the recent weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce winter blast dumped heavy snowfall across the territory.

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

Initial updates had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, coupled with more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other support staff were rescued, according to official announcements released on Tuesday evening.

Survivors Recount Severe Situations

One Chinese hiker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, forcing them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on Sunday as the weather became more severe.

“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we learned the snow was deep in the valley, too; local residents, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Expedition Schedules Disrupted

The blizzard also thwarted the plans of climbers escorted by a United States expedition outfit to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first discovered by western travelers a century ago. In the past few years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a major tourism destination, the area has brought in an increasing number of visitors. More than 540,000 visitors traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a all-time high.

Area Remains Off-Limits

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

Wider Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also affected numerous of trekkers in other parts of the western regions of China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one individual lost their life, due to a blend of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with typically clear and moderate weather, but one participant of an 18-person trekking group that returned safely to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “unusual.”