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Rescue teams have safely led all of the remaining adventurers near the eastern slopes of Everest in the Tibet region to safety, including scores of local guides and animal tenders, local government stated. This wraps up one of the biggest rescue and recovery operations ever seen in the zone.

Large-Scale Rescue Operation Concluded

Numerous of hikers were became trapped in thick snow over the weekend in the remote Karma valley, after an unusually powerful blizzard deposited significant snowfall across the area.

Snow kept coming down all day Saturday in the valley, which is located at an average altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, emergency teams had guided approximately 350 hikers to security.

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

In total, 580 hikers, coupled with more than 300 local guides, yak herders, and other assistants were brought out, according to official statements released on Tuesday night.

Those Rescued Recount Harsh Situations

One from China hiker recalled how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, forcing them to remove it every 90 minutes. They decided to descend 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 learned the snow was heavy in the valley, too; local residents, not able to contact their children on the mountain, were deeply concerned.”

Climbing Schedules Thwarted

The severe weather also hindered the objectives of alpinists led by a United States expedition company to summit Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between China and the nation of Nepal.

Tourism Increase in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by western explorers a long time ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a major tourism attraction, the area has attracted an growing number of visitors. More than 540,000 tourists explored the Everest region last year, marking a unprecedented number.

Region Still Off-Limits

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

Broader Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also influenced numerous of travelers in other parts of the western regions of China, for example Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one traveler lost their life, due to a combination of exposure and high-altitude illness.

Atypical Conditions

October is typically a high season for the area, with normally sunny and mild weather, but one participant of an 18-person expedition team that got back to Qudang commented that the weather this year was “unusual.”