Twenty folks have been killed and one stays lacking after hail, freezing rain and excessive winds hit runners collaborating in a 100-kilometre cross-country mountain race in China, native officers mentioned Sunday.
“Abrupt, excessive climate” hit a high-altitude section of the race held in the Yellow River Stone Forest near Baiyin city in northwestern Gansu province around 1pm on Saturday, Baiyin city officials said at a briefing.
“At around noon, the high-altitude section of the race between 20 and 31 kilometres was suddenly affected by disastrous weather. In a short period of time, hailstones and ice rain suddenly fell in the local area, and there were strong winds. The temperature sharply dropped,” mentioned Baiyin metropolis mayor Zhang Xuchen.
Shortly after receiving messages of assist from some members, marathon organisers dispatched a rescue workforce that managed to avoid wasting 18 members, he mentioned.
At round 2pm, climate circumstances worsened and the race was instantly referred to as off as native authorities despatched extra rescuers to assist, Zhang added. “This incident is a public security incident attributable to sudden modifications in climate in an area space,” he said, adding that provincial authorities will further investigate its cause.
A further eight runners were being treated in hospital for minor injuries, Zhang said.
State news agency Xinhua earlier reported that some of the runners suffered from hypothermia as a result of the weather.
Temperatures in the mountainous terrain dropped further overnight, Xinhua said, making search and rescue “more difficult”.
“As of 3am Sunday, 151 members have been confirmed to be protected, of which 5 with minor accidents are being handled within the hospital and in secure situation,” it said. Xinhua said a total of 172 people were taking part in the race.
Gansu, one of China’s poorest regions, borders Mongolia to the north and Xinjiang to the west.
Deadly floods and landslides have hit the province in the past, with mudslides reportedly killing well over 1,000 people in one town in 2010.
It is also prone to earthquakes.
Yellow River Stone Forest is famous for its rugged mountain scenery marked by stone stalagmites and pillars, and is used as a location in many Chinese television shows and movies, according to the China Daily.
Its rock formations are believed to be four billion years old, the Daily said.
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