BEIJING (Reuters) -Rescuers guided all of the remaining trekkers near the east face of Everest in Tibet to safety on Tuesday, including hundreds of local guides and yak herders, authorities said, ending one of the largest search-and-rescue operations in the region.

Hundreds of hikers were stranded in deep snow over the weekend in the isolated Karma valley after an unusually powerful blizzard dumped heavy snowfall in the region.

Snow fell throughout Saturday in the valley, which lies at an average altitude of 4,200 m (13,800 ft). On Sunday, rescuers had guided about 350 hikers to safety.

According to an earlier Reuters report, citing a source, the remaining 200 or so hikers were expected to reach safety by Tuesday.

A total of 580 trekkers along with more than 300 guides, yak herders and

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