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Emergency crews have escorted all of the remaining trekkers near the eastern slopes of Mount Everest in Tibet to security, including scores of local guides and animal tenders, officials reported. This concludes one of the largest search-and-rescue efforts ever conducted in the region.

Large-Scale Rescue Effort Concluded

Numerous of hikers were found themselves stuck in deep snow over the past few days in the remote Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce winter blast unleashed significant snowfall across the territory.

Snow continued to fall throughout Saturday in the valley, which sits at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescuers had guided approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Initial updates had indicated that the remaining roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach their destination by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, in addition to more than 300 escorts, yak herders, and other support staff were brought out, according to government announcements released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Describe Extreme Situations

One Chinese traveler described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow rapidly accumulated around their tents, compelling them to clear 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 ventured for him. That’s when we learned the snow was intense in the valley, too; community members, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Expedition Schedules Disrupted

The severe weather also disrupted the plans of mountaineers guided by a American mountaineering outfit to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between the People's Republic of China and Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by international adventurers a long time ago. In modern times, with the development of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant travel attraction, the area has drawn an increasing number of travelers. More than 540,000 visitors visited the Everest region last year, establishing a unprecedented number.

Region Remains Off-Limits

The Everest region is still temporarily off-limits to the general public, covering the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Wider Impact

The significant snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of trekkers in other parts of the western regions of China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one person lost their life, due to a combination of exposure and acute mountain sickness.

Unusual Weather

October is typically a busy season for the area, with usually sunny and mild weather, but one member of an 18-person hiking party that returned safely to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “unusual.”