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Search parties have successfully guided all of the last trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to a secure location, along with scores of local guides and livestock handlers, authorities stated. This concludes one of the biggest search-and-rescue operations ever seen in the region.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Concluded

Several hundred of explorers were became trapped in thick snow over the past few days in the isolated Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce winter blast unleashed substantial snowfall across the region.

Snow kept coming down all day 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 safety.

Previous accounts had estimated that the last group of roughly 200 individuals were anticipated to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, along with more than 300 guides, livestock herders, and other support staff were evacuated, according to authoritative statements released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Describe Severe Conditions

One from China hiker described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, obliging them to clear it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on Sunday as the weather became more severe.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we found out the snow was intense in the valley, too; villagers, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Expedition Schedules Thwarted

The blizzard also hindered the goals of mountaineers escorted by a US-based 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 the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Growth in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by foreign explorers a century ago. In the past few years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor draw, the area has attracted an increasing number of tourists. More than 540,000 visitors traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a all-time high.

Region Remains Closed

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

Broader Impact

The significant snowfall over the weekend also influenced numerous of trekkers in other parts of western China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Unfortunately, at least one traveler died, due to a mix of hypothermia and altitude sickness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a high season for the area, with normally sunny and moderate weather, but one trekker of an 18-person expedition team that made it back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “not normal.”