At least 20 people have died during a mountain marathon cross-country race in northwest China.

More than 700 rescuers are also searching for at least one competitor who is missing.

According to China’s official Xinhua news agency, extreme weather – hail, freezing rain, and gale-force winds – caused a sudden drop in temperature as the race reached its high-altitude stage on Saturday afternoon.

The race, at the Yellow River Stone Forest tourist site in Baiyin city, Gansu province, was stopped after runners started to go missing.

The victims were found in the early hours of Sunday.

A total of 172 joined the 60-mile race and 151 are confirmed to be safe.

Five of them have minor injuries and are being treated in hospital.

Related posts:

Climber’s body found on NZ mountain after 40 years – report Myanmar protesters launch ‘garbage strike’ as deaths surpass 500 Italian navy captain ‘caught selling top-secret papers to Russian official’ India COVID cases soar past 20 million with health system on brink of collapse World’s oldest person pulls out of Tokyo 2020 Olympics torch relay over fears of spreading COVID What is a heat dome that’s causing extreme heat and wildfires in Europe? ‘Potential hijack’ of oil tanker by suspected Iran-backed army is over Last month was second hottest July ever in Europe British man rescued after getting lost in Thai forest for three days Afghanistan crisis ‘stands for decades of neglect of human rights’, Jolie says Brazil v Argentina match suspended after health officials walk on to pitch in COVID row North Macedonia’s president walks bullied 11-year-old girl to school