10 trapped after avalanches hit Xinjiang’s Urumqi

Ten people were trapped after avalanches hit a mountainous area in Changji Monday in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, according to Urumqi’s fire brigade.

The snowslide was first reported to hit a valley in Urumqi, the capital city of Xinjiang, but later confirmed to strike a grassland in the Ashili township in Changji, a city near Urumqi, said Urumqi’s fire brigade.

One person was injured and one was in weak condition among the ten people that were trapped in the avalanches, said the head of the rescue team.

Land rescue forces will spend two days rescuing those trapped due to multiple avalanches, but the remaining provisions can only support them for one day, said the head of the rescue team.

The local emergency department is asking for helicopters to join the rescue efforts due to the poor traffic conditions caused by the avalanches.