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Search parties have successfully guided all of the last adventurers near the eastern slopes of Everest in Tibet to safety, along with hundreds of regional escorts and animal tenders, officials reported. This marks the end one of the biggest rescue and recovery missions ever conducted in the area.

Large-Scale Evacuation Effort Concluded

Hundreds of explorers were became trapped in deep snow over the recent weekend in the secluded Karma valley, after an exceptionally fierce snowstorm unleashed substantial snowfall across the area.

Snow continued to fall all day Saturday in the valley, which is located at an typical altitude of 4,200 meters (13,800 feet). By Sunday, rescue personnel had escorted approximately 350 hikers to a safe zone.

Earlier reports had estimated that the remaining roughly 200 individuals were expected to reach a secure area by Tuesday.

In total, 580 hikers, coupled with more than 300 guides, animal handlers, and other support staff were brought out, according to authoritative announcements released on Tuesday late in the day.

Survivors Recount Severe Conditions

One from China traveler described how their group had been “too anxious to sleep” on Saturday, as snow quickly piled up around their tents, compelling them to remove it every 90 minutes. They chose to descend on Sunday as the situation became more severe.

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

Expedition Schedules Disrupted

The snowstorm also thwarted the objectives of alpinists guided by a US-based climbing firm to reach the top of Cho Oyu, an 8,188-meter (26,864-foot) peak on the frontier between the People's Republic of China and the nation of Nepal.

Visitor Growth in the Region

Karma valley was first explored by international adventurers a century ago. In modern times, with the growth of the Everest region in Tibet as a prominent travel attraction, the area has brought in an increasing number of visitors. More than 540,000 sightseers visited the Everest region last year, establishing a new record.

Area Still Closed

The Everest region continues to be currently inaccessible to the visitors, encompassing the Karma and Rongshar valleys, as well as Cho Oyu.

Broader Impact

The intense snowfall over the weekend also influenced many of travelers in other parts of western China, such as Xinjiang, Qinghai, and Gansu. Sadly, at least one traveler lost their life, due to a mix of low body temperature and acute mountain sickness.

Atypical Conditions

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