137 hikers in NW China relocated due to heavy snowfall

XINING -- As of 8 am on Monday, 137 hikers who were previously stranded due to continuous snowfall in Northwest China's Qinghai province, had been relocated and were in stable condition, local authorities said.

During the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, which started on Oct 1, over 100 hiking enthusiasts headed toward the Laohugou region of Menyuan Hui Autonomous county in Haibei Tibetan autonomous prefecture. On Sunday, a 41-year-old male hiker died from hypothermia and acute altitude sickness.

The Laohugou region, located in the Qilian Mountains, featuring an average altitude exceeding 4,000 meters and complex terrain, experienced continuous snowfall during the holiday period.

Over 300 search personnel, more than 10 teams employing horses and two medium-sized drones have been mobilized to conduct thorough searches in seeking to ensure the safety of stranded hikers.

Search and rescue efforts continue as some hikers remain missing.