Hong Kong: China evacuated stranded tourists from the UNESCO World Heritage site of Jiuzhaigou on Monday after mudslides triggered by heavy rain, state broadcaster CCTV reported, as authorities issued the highest flash-flood alert for parts of the country in the wake of Typhoon Noul.
Jiuzhaigou, in south-western Sichuan province, is famous for its fairyland landscape with blue, green and purple pools, snow-capped peaks, lakes and multi-tiered waterfalls.
CCTV said some of the key tourist sites had been closed and stranded tourists were being safely evacuated.
The closures come as China issued its highest alert for flash floods across multiple provinces after Typhoon Noul, the strongest typhoon to hit the country this year, brought widespread torrential rains across southern and central regions.
Mudslides and soil erosion are common in China’s mountainous regions, particularly where steep river valleys intersect, especially during the peak summer rainy season. At least four deadly landslides have occurred across China this month.
Reuters