Photo: STR / AFP / Getty Images
SHANGHAI, China – At least 20 people died of cold during a mountain race held this Saturday in a tourist area of the northern Chinese province of Gansu, reports the local press.
The race, in which the 100 kilometers (ultramarathon) through a mountainous area , was interrupted after some of them showed signs of hypothermia and physical problems after the sudden drop in temperatures in a high altitude area.
Affected by hail, freezing rain and gales , some of them disappeared. Rescue teams confirmed the death of up to 20 of the runners by 08. 00 local time of China of this Sunday.
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The authorities deployed a team of more than 1, 200 troops to try to find another runner that was still missing, but a new drop in temperatures in the area during the night made tasks difficult.
The last part offered by the local government indicates that 151 of the participants were safe, although eight of them suffered minor injuries for which they have received medical treatment, and are stable.
According to the rescue teams, the main problem was that the temperatures dropped to close to zero degrees Celsius while the runners wore thin garments that did not protect them from the cold.