Twenty-one runners were killed during a long distance race in north-western China after severe weather set in.
Freezing rain and high winds hit the 172 runners after they set off on the 100km (60 mile) ultramarathon race in the Yellow River Stone Forest on Saturday.
The race had to be halted after some of the runners went missing and those left stranded were reportedly suffering hypothermia.
A rescue operation got underway with more than 1,200 rescuers sent out to search for participants. The search continued all through Saturday night and into Sunday. Officials said 151 runners were now confirmed safe and that eight of them were injured. The rest were killed in the brutal conditions.
Those who survived said the weather forecast had shown some wind and rain was anticipated, but nothing as extreme as what they experienced. Many had started the race in just shorts and t-shirts.
But less than three hours after the race start, a mountainous section of the route was hit by hail, heavy rain and gales, which caused temperatures to plummet, according to officials from the nearby Baiyin city. Many runners reportedly lost their way on the route as the weather affected visibility.
The race organisers have faced criticism over the lack of contingency planning.
In a press conference on Sunday, Baiyin's Mayor Zhang Xuchen said: "As the organiser of the event, we are full of guilt and remorse. We express deep condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims and the injured."
