Cold weather in China kills 21 in ultramarathon, sparking outrage in country

Rescue workers carry a stretcher as they work at the site where extreme cold weather killed participants of an 100-km ultramarathon race in Baiyin, Gansu province, China May 22, 2021. Picture taken May 22, 2021. - cnsphoto via Reuters

BEIJING, May 23 (Reuters): Twenty-one people were killed when extremely cold weather struck during an ultramarathon on Saturday in rugged Gansu province in northwestern China, state media reported on Sunday, sparking public outrage over the lack of contingency planning.

The 100km (62-mile) race began from a lush tourist site at a bend in the Yellow River, China's second-longest. The route would take runners through deep canyons and undulating hills on an arid plateau at an elevation of more than 1,000 metres (3,300 feet).