Approximately 1000 visitors are trapped in Hemu, a secluded tourist spot in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region, following a series of avalanches. Hindered by unpredictable weather and heavy snowfall, efforts to evacuate them are proving challenging, as reported by state television on Tuesday.
Hemu village, a picturesque locale nestled near the borders of Kazakhstan, Russia, and Mongolia, has been isolated due to avalanches that have severed road connections for several days. This village is located in the Altay Prefecture of Xinjiang, where some areas have experienced continuous snowfall for 10 days.
Numerous avalanches triggered by the intense snowfall have blocked significant portions of highways in the Altay mountains leading to the Kanas scenic area. Over the past weekend, state media reported that helicopters were used to rescue some of the tourists.
In some areas, the snow accumulation from the avalanches has reached about 23 feet, surpassing the capabilities of snow-clearing equipment, according to CCTV.
Efforts to clear a 31-mile stretch of the snow-covered road began a week ago. The process has been made more difficult due to the presence of rocks, debris, and tree branches in the snow, which have been swept down from pine and birch forests on the slopes. This debris has rendered rotary snowplows ineffective, forcing rescuers to use shovels and excavators instead.
The rapidly changing weather in the mountainous region has limited the opportunities for supply missions. A military helicopter, intended to deliver supplies like flour and fuel to Hemu village, was delayed on Tuesday morning, as reported by CCTV. The Altay highway management authorities have deployed 53 personnel and 31 pieces of machinery and equipment for the rescue and relief efforts.
Zhao Jinsheng, the head of the highway management bureau, described the avalanche situation as unusual. “We have experienced heavy snowfall like this before, but the frequency of avalanches this time is unprecedented,” he told CCTV.
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Zhao anticipates that the snow-clearing operations, especially on the last 2.5 miles of the avalanche-affected road, will take some time due to the substantial amount of snow.
