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Emergency crews have safely led all of the remaining hikers near the east-facing slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to security, along with numerous of native guides and livestock handlers, officials announced. This marks the end one of the largest rescue and recovery efforts ever conducted in the region.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Concluded

Hundreds of hikers were left stranded in heavy snow over the past few days in the isolated Karma valley, after an exceptionally powerful winter blast dumped significant snowfall across the territory.

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

Previous accounts had suggested that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, coupled with more than 300 escorts, animal handlers, and other support staff were evacuated, according to authoritative reports released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Recount Extreme Situations

One from China trekker shared how their group had been “too frightened to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They chose to move to lower ground on Sunday as the conditions 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 heavy in the valley, too; community members, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Climbing Plans Disrupted

The blizzard also disrupted the plans of mountaineers guided by a US-based expedition firm to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first visited by international adventurers a hundred years ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a major travel destination, the area has attracted an increasing number of visitors. More than 540,000 tourists traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a unprecedented number.

Area Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region continues to be currently off-limits to the visitors, including the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also influenced hundreds of travelers in other parts of western China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person died, due to a mix of exposure and altitude sickness.

Atypical Conditions

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