Avalanche hits glacier on China's Muztagh Ata in Xinjiang, state media says

BEIJING — An avalanche struck Glacier Number Two 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 (Sept 6).

Video showed a massive wall of snow and ice cascading down the mountainside, forming a snow cloud more than 100 metres 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 Number Two 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.

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