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Rescue teams have safely led all of the last adventurers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in Tibet to a secure location, along with numerous of native guides and animal tenders, officials reported. This marks the end one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts ever seen in the zone.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Completed

Hundreds of hikers were found themselves stuck in heavy snow over the weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually powerful blizzard dumped substantial snowfall across the territory.

Snow persisted all day Saturday in the valley, which sits at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had led approximately 350 hikers to security.

Initial updates had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 individuals were projected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 mountaineers, coupled with more than 300 escorts, animal handlers, and other assistants were rescued, according to government reports released on Tuesday late in the day.

Those Rescued Recount Extreme Situations

One Chinese traveler described how their group had been “too scared to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They decided to go down on Sunday as the situation worsened.

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

Expedition Schedules Disrupted

The snowstorm also hindered the objectives of mountaineers led by a American mountaineering firm 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 Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Area

Karma valley was first explored by international adventurers a century ago. In recent years, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent visitor attraction, the area has drawn an rising number of tourists. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, marking a new record.

Area Still Closed

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

Wider Impact

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also influenced numerous of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one traveler succumbed, due to a mix of low body temperature and altitude sickness.

Unusual Weather

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