China
        

Society

29 rescued from snow-hit expressway in Tibet

Updated: 2011-02-17 16:20

(Xinhua)

Twitter Facebook Myspace Yahoo! Linkedin Mixx

ALI, Tibet - Twenty-nine people have been rescued after their vehicles became stuck in deep snow for hours on a highway in Tibet autonomous Region, local traffic police said Thursday.

Related readings:
29 rescued from snow-hit expressway in Tibet Tibet braces for upcoming Lunar New Year
29 rescued from snow-hit expressway in Tibet Officials risk lives to aid Tibet
29 rescued from snow-hit expressway in Tibet Photographer Jambhala: 300 photos of Tibet and Qinghai

A blizzard began to pelt Ali Prefecture in the western part of Tibet on Sunday, dumping up to one meter of snow on the ground.

Heavy snow paralyzed parts of the Xinzang Highway that links Tibet to its northern neighbor Xinjiang, stranding 29 people in at least three coaches and a truck in temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius for up to five hours on Tuesday evening.

A team of soldiers rushed to the site at around 8 pm Tuesday and gave the people food, water and clothes and sent them to a nearby town.

Soldiers had cleared about 160,000 cubic meters of snow by Thursday morning along the route but many sections of the highway remained closed due to continuous snowfall.

Specials

Spring Festival

The Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival for family reunions.

Top 10

A summary of the major events both inside and outside China.

A role model

Alimjan Halik had been selected as the "Cyberspace Personality Who Moved the Hearts of the Chinese in 2010".

All about the Year of the Rabbit
President Hu visits the US
Ancient life