Highlights
The tragedy took place in rugged Gansu province in northwestern China
It sparked a public outrage over the lack of contingency planning
Twenty-one people were killed when extremely cold weather struck during an ultramarathon on Saturday in rugged Gansu province in northwestern China, state media reported on Sunday, sparking public outrage over the lack of contingency planning. The 100-km (62-mile) race began from a lush tourist site at a bend in the Yellow River, China's second-longest. The route would take runners through deep canyons and undulating hills on an arid plateau at an elevation of more than 1,000 metres (3,300 feet). The race kicked off on Saturday morning with runners clad in t-shirts and shorts under overcast skies, according to photographs posted on the social media account of the Yellow River Stone Forest scenic area in Jingtai, a county under the jurisdiction of Baiyin city.