Twenty-one runners died during a 100-kilometre ultrarun in China. 172 runners started off en masse in shorts and T-shirts in the rugged area with mountains and deep gorges, but were overcome by bad weather after a few hours. Hail, black ice and strong winds dealt a fatal blow.
While the race started in the morning, it was stopped at 13:00 local time due to the sudden change in weather conditions. More than 1,200 rescuers were dispatched, but to no avail: 21 participants lost their lives. A number of other participants were treated for minor injuries.
The local authorities are currently receiving a huge deal of criticism as to why they did not check the weather forecast and weigh the risks of holding the event. Several people involved expressed their regret and declared themselves responsible to the press.
