Gansu ultramarathon disaster
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| Native name | 黄河石林百公里越野赛事故 Huánghé Shílín Bǎi Gōnglǐ Yuèyě Sài Shìgù Yellow River Stone Forest Mountain Ultramarathon Cross-country Race Accident |
|---|---|
| Date | 22 May 2021 |
| Location | Yellow River Stone Forest, Jingtai County, China |
| Coordinates | 36°53′11″N 104°18′43″E / 36.88639°N 104.31194°E |
| Cause | Severe weather |
| Participants | 172 |
| Deaths | 21 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 8 |
On 22 May 2021, twenty-one ultramarathon runners died during severe weather while competing in Gansu, China.[1][2][3] It is the deadliest outdoor sports accident in China, overtaking the Yangtze River rafting disaster in 1986 which had 10 deaths.[citation needed]
The event
The Yellow River Stone Forest Mountain Marathon is a cross country running competition held annually since 2018, starting at the Yellow River Stone Forest scenic area. The 2021 edition consisted of three events: 5 km (3.1 mi) running, a half marathon cross-country and a 100 km (62 mi) cross-country ultramarathon. Participants of the 100 km race had to show proof of completing a similar race of over 50 km within the last year, and be between age 18 and 60.[4]
The race began, with 172 participants, at 09:00 on Saturday 22 May 2021 beside the Yellow River in Jingtai County, Baiyin. Some runners were dressed in shorts and T-shirts.[2] The 100 km (62 mi) route through the Yellow River Stone Forest area would ascend to over 2,000 m (6,600 ft) through mountainous terrain.[4] Within three hours, at a difficult section of the route, runners experienced gales, heavy rain and hail, and the race was called off at about 14:00.[3] Temperatures in the county had dropped to 6 °C (43 °F) during the day, before allowing for wind chill.[1] Some runners fainted from the cold.[5] Shortly after receiving calls for help from some the authorities sent an initial rescue team that rescued 18 athletes.[6]
In the evening a larger rescue operation involving over 1200 personnel was launched, which utilized thermal-imaging drones and radar equipment.[1] During the event, a sheep herder saved six contestants by bringing them to his heated shelter.[7] The rescue operations were made more difficult by a landslide that occurred in the area after the rain.[5] The search operations ended by noon on Sunday, 23 May.[8]
Twenty-one runners died and a further eight were injured.[2] The fatalities included Liang Jing, 31, an ultramarathon champion, and Huang Guanjun, a marathon champion from 2019 China's National Paralympic Games.[5]
Weather predictions
The race organizers said that there were no predictions of extreme weather for the day of the race. However, Baiyin city's local branch of the National Early Warning Information Center had warned for three days about hail and strong winds in the area.[8] Gansu Meteorological Bureau warned of “sudden heavy showers, hail, lightning, sudden gale-force winds" across the province in a Friday 21 May forecast.[9]
Reactions
The People's Daily reported that the provincial government had set up "an investigation team to further look into the cause of the deaths".[3]
The deaths generated considerable public anger on Chinese social media, with most of the blame directed at the Baiyin government and questions raised about the lack of contingency planning.[2] The anger was amplified by the news that two elite marathon athletes, Liang Jing and Huang Guanjun, were among the dead.[5] In a news conference on 23 May, Baiyin's Mayor, Zhang Xuchen apologized for the shortcomings in organizing the event: "As the event organizer, we feel deeply guilty. We express our sorrow for the victims and our deep condolences to the families of the victims and the injured."[5]
References
- ^ a b c "Cold weather in China kills 21 in ultramarathon, sparks outrage". Reuters. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d "China ultramarathon: Severe weather kills 21 runners". BBC News. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ a b c "Twenty-one dead as extreme weather hits ultramarathon in China". The Guardian. 23 May 2021.
- ^ a b "噩耗：16人遇难、5人失联，黄河石林山地马拉松究竟怎么了？_京报网". news.bjd.com.cn. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Stevenson, Alexandra; Li, Cao (23 May 2021). "21 Runners Dead After Extreme Weather Hits Chinese Ultramarathon". New York Times. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "Extreme weather kills 21 in China ultramarathon". Taipei Times. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
- ^ cnBeta. "放羊大叔朱克铭连救6名白银山地越野赛选手 - 人物". cnBeta.COM (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ a b "21 die in extreme weather in China ultramarathon". Yahoo Sports. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
- ^ "Twenty-one runners dead as disaster rocks cross-country marathon in China". News.com.au. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.