BEIJING, Sept 6 (Reuters) – An avalanche struck Glacier No. 2 on Muztagh Ata, near China’s border with Tajikistan in the northwestern Xinjiang region, with several tourists capturing footage on their phones, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday.
• Video showed a massive wall of snow and ice cascading down the mountainside, forming a snow cloud more than 100 metres (328 feet) wide, the broadcaster said.
• There were no casualties or property damage because the avalanche took place in an unpopulated area far from major roads, CCTV reported.
• The main peak of Muztagh Ata, covered by ice and glaciers, is 7,546 metres high. Glacier No. 2 is closed to the public because of heightened risks of glacial activity.
• The local culture and tourism bureau on Saturday warned tourists not to enter unauthorised high-risk restricted zones on Muztagh Ata, citing complex terrain, volatile weather, weak communication signals and extremely poor rescue conditions.
(Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Kate Mayberry)
