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Search parties have successfully guided all of the last hikers near the east-facing slopes of Mount Everest in the Tibet region to a secure location, along with scores of local guides and yak herders, officials announced. This wraps up one of the most extensive search-and-rescue efforts ever undertaken in the zone.

Massive Evacuation Effort Completed

Hundreds of trekkers were left stranded in deep snow over the past few days in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually fierce blizzard dumped substantial snowfall across the area.

Snow continued to fall all day 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 suggested that the last group of roughly 200 hikers were expected to reach safety by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, in addition to more than 300 local guides, animal handlers, and other support staff were evacuated, according to official announcements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Survivors Describe Severe Conditions

One Chinese trekker shared how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow swiftly built up around their tents, forcing them to shovel it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend on Sunday as the weather became more severe.

“On the way, we met our guide’s father, who had set out for him. That’s when we found out the snow was heavy in the valley, too; local residents, unable to contact their children on the mountain, were very anxious.”

Expedition Schedules Disrupted

The severe weather also disrupted the goals of climbers escorted by a US-based climbing company to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the boundary between China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by western adventurers a long time ago. In recent years, with the expansion of the Everest region in Tibet as a major travel draw, the area has drawn an rising number of tourists. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, establishing a all-time high.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region is still for the time being inaccessible to the public, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Effect

The heavy snowfall over the weekend also influenced many of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, including Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Tragically, at least one individual succumbed, due to a combination of low body temperature and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a peak season for the area, with usually fine and moderate weather, but one participant of an 18-person trekking group that got back to Qudang noted that the weather this year was “atypical.”