At least 21 people were killed in the “sudden extreme weather” that hit the 100-kilometer cross-country runners in Gansu, China.

Local officials said that at least 21 people were hit by hail, freezing rain and strong winds in the ultramarathon in Gansu province in northwestern China.

Officials said at a Sunday briefing that “sudden extreme weather” hit the high-altitude part of a 100-kilometer cross-country race held in the Yellow River Stone Forest near Silver City at noon on Saturday (04:00 GMT). .

“At about noon, the race was suddenly affected by catastrophic weather at high altitudes between 20 and 31 kilometers. In a short period of time, hail and rain suddenly fell in the area, and there were strong winds. The temperature dropped sharply.” Said Zhang Xuchen, the mayor of Baiyin City.

He said that shortly after the marathon organizers received messages of help from some participants, they sent a rescue team and managed to save 18 participants.

Zhang added that at about 2 pm (06:00 GMT), the weather conditions deteriorated and the game was immediately cancelled due to the local authorities sending more rescue workers.

He said: “This incident is a public safety incident caused by a sudden change in local weather.” He added that the provincial government will further investigate the cause.

Zhang said that the other eight runners were receiving treatment in the hospital for minor injuries.

A total of 172 people participated in the competition. The official Xinhua News Agency reported that as of Sunday, 151 participants, including the injured, had been confirmed to be safe.

Xinhua News Agency said the temperature in the mountains dropped further overnight, which made search and rescue “more difficult.”

Baiyin officials said that landslides caused by bad weather also hindered rescue efforts.

Gansu is one of the poorest regions in China, bordering Mongolia to the north and Xinjiang to the west.

In the past, deadly floods and landslides hit the province. According to reports, in 2010, mudslides killed more than 1,000 people in a town.

It is also prone to earthquakes.

According to “China Daily”, the Yellow River Stone Forest is famous for its rugged mountain scenery. It is characterized by stalagmites and stalagmites, and is used by many Chinese TV shows and movies.

According to the “Daily News”, the rock formation is believed to be 4 billion years old.