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Emergency crews have safely led all of the remaining hikers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to security, along with hundreds of local guides and yak herders, officials announced. This marks the end one of the most extensive rescue and recovery efforts ever seen in the zone.

Large-Scale Rescue Operation Concluded

Numerous of explorers were left stranded in deep snow over the past few days in the isolated Karma valley, after an unexpectedly intense blizzard unleashed heavy snowfall across the area.

Snow kept coming down throughout Saturday in the valley, which rests at an mean altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had guided approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

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

In total, 580 mountaineers, in addition to more than 300 guides, yak herders, and other crew members were evacuated, according to official statements released on Tuesday evening.

Survivors Describe Severe Situations

One Chinese traveler shared 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 chose to go down on Sunday as the situation deteriorated.

“On the way, we came across our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we realized the snow was deep in the valley, too; villagers, incapable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Climbing Schedules Thwarted

The snowstorm also thwarted the goals of climbers led by a American expedition outfit to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between the People's Republic of China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first visited by international travelers a long time ago. In recent years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant travel draw, the area has attracted an increasing number of tourists. More than 540,000 sightseers visited the Everest region last year, setting a unprecedented number.

Region Remains Closed

The Everest region continues to be for the time being off-limits to the visitors, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also influenced many of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person succumbed, due to a combination of hypothermia and high-altitude illness.

Unusual Conditions

October is typically a busy season for the area, with usually fine and pleasant weather, but one trekker of an 18-person expedition team that returned safely to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “atypical.”