At least 21 marathon runners died of hypothermia while running a 100-km mountain in northwest China.
One runner who had been missing was found at 9:30 am, but “had already lost their vital sign”, state broadcaster CCTV reported, citing the local rescue command headquarters.
“This suggests that this incident caused 21 deaths in total,” CCTV said. Dressed in shorts and tops, the runners had very little protection from the weather.
Search is still on for other runners who might be affected by extreme weather. The race was being held in the Yellow River Stone Forest near Baiyin city in northwestern Gansu province. Extreme weather hit the high altitude section of the forest around midday, between kilometres 20 and 31 of the course.
Eight people are being treated for minor injuries, Baiyin city mayor Zhang Xuchen told Xinhua news agency. Temperatures in the area dropped further overnight, making rescue efforts more difficult.
The marathon site is picturesque with stalagmites and pillars and is a popular location for television shows and movies. In the past, several people have been killed due to occurrences of mudslides. The area is also prone to earthquakes.
