Stranded hikers leave Karma valley

More than 200 remaining trekkers trapped by a snowstorm over the weekend near the eastern face of Mount Everest in Tibet are being evacuated, a source familiar with the situation said yesterday.

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The evacuation, which began on Monday, should be completed by the end of the day yesterday, said the source, who was not authorised to speak to the media on the matter and declined to be identified.

The Tibetan regional government had no immediate comment on the evacuation.

Earlier, some 350 other hikers stranded by the blizzard in the remote valley of Karma in Tibet were guided to safety by local rescuers.