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Rescue teams have escorted all of the remaining adventurers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to security, including numerous of native guides and animal tenders, officials stated. This marks the end one of the biggest rescue and recovery operations ever conducted in the area.

Large-Scale Rescue Effort Concluded

Hundreds of trekkers were found themselves stuck in deep snow over the weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce winter blast deposited substantial snowfall across the area.

Snow kept coming down throughout Saturday in the valley, which rests at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had led approximately 350 hikers to safety.

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

In total, 580 hikers, coupled with more than 300 local guides, yak herders, and other support staff were rescued, according to authoritative statements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Survivors Describe Extreme Situations

One from China traveler recalled how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, compelling them to shovel 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 found out the snow was intense in the valley, too; local residents, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were extremely worried.”

Expedition Plans Thwarted

The blizzard also disrupted the plans of climbers guided by a United States mountaineering firm to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between China and Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by foreign adventurers a hundred years ago. In the past few years, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a major visitor destination, the area has brought in an rising number of tourists. More than 540,000 sightseers traveled to the Everest region last year, establishing a new record.

Region Remains Closed

The Everest region remains for the time being closed to the public, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one traveler succumbed, due to a combination of low body temperature and acute mountain sickness.

Unusual Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with typically fine and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person hiking party that returned safely to Qudang remarked that the weather this year was “not normal.”