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Search parties have escorted all of the last trekkers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in Tibet to safety, along with hundreds of local guides and yak herders, authorities announced. This wraps up one of the most extensive search-and-rescue missions ever undertaken in the zone.

Large-Scale Rescue Effort Completed

Numerous of explorers were left stranded in heavy snow over the recent weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unexpectedly powerful blizzard deposited heavy snowfall across the area.

Snow continued to fall throughout Saturday in the valley, which rests at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had led approximately 350 hikers to security.

Initial updates had indicated that the last group of roughly 200 individuals were projected to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, along with more than 300 local guides, livestock herders, and other support staff were rescued, according to authoritative announcements released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Recount Severe Conditions

One Chinese trekker shared how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, obliging them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They chose to go down on Sunday as the situation worsened.

“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had come looking for him. That’s when we learned the snow was deep in the valley, too; villagers, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Expedition Plans Disrupted

The severe weather also hindered the objectives of climbers guided by a American climbing company to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and Nepal.

Tourism Growth in the Area

Karma valley was first explored by western adventurers a hundred years ago. In modern times, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor attraction, the area has brought in an rising number of visitors. More than 540,000 sightseers explored the Everest region last year, setting a all-time high.

Region Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region remains currently inaccessible to the general public, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also affected hundreds of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person lost their life, due to a combination of exposure and altitude sickness.

Atypical Conditions

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