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Rescue teams have safely led all of the last adventurers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to security, including hundreds of local guides and animal tenders, authorities stated. This concludes one of the biggest rescue and recovery operations ever conducted in the zone.

Large-Scale Rescue Effort Concluded

Numerous of explorers were found themselves stuck in deep snow over the weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unexpectedly fierce snowstorm deposited significant snowfall across the region.

Snow continued to fall throughout Saturday in the valley, which is located at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had led approximately 350 hikers to safety.

Earlier reports had indicated that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were anticipated to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 trekkers, in addition to more than 300 local guides, animal handlers, and other assistants were evacuated, according to authoritative reports released on Tuesday late in the day.

Those Rescued Recount Extreme Situations

One Chinese hiker recalled how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They opted to move to lower ground on Sunday as the conditions became more severe.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had ventured for him. That’s when we found out the snow was intense in the valley, too; villagers, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Climbing Schedules Disrupted

The severe weather also thwarted the plans of alpinists led by a American climbing firm to ascend Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the border between China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Increase in the Area

Karma valley was first visited by foreign explorers a long time ago. In recent years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a significant visitor draw, the area has attracted an rising number of tourists. More than 540,000 visitors traveled to the Everest region last year, marking a unprecedented number.

Area Remains Off-Limits

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

Broader Impact

The significant snowfall over the weekend also impacted many of hikers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one individual succumbed, due to a mix of hypothermia and high-altitude illness.

Unusual Conditions

October is typically a high season for the area, with usually fine and moderate weather, but one member of an 18-person hiking party that made it back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “atypical.”