BEIJING: Local authorities in Gansu have rescued 43,000 travelers stranded on various highways in the province while on their way to Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region following heavy snowfall and windstorms over the weekend.
Hotels and restaurants in Mazongshan town in Gansu have opened their doors to stranded travelers. The town is located on the highway linking Xinjiang and Gansu. Local authorities have also made government offices and public facilities available for the travelers, offering them a place to sleep, hot water and food.
Authorities in Guazhou county in Gansu have readied gymnasiums, hotels and school dormitories to shelter those stranded on the road. A total of 18,000 travelers were sheltering in the county as of Saturday night. Meanwhile, ordinary people have also come forward to help those affected by the inclement weather.
Wang Yang, a resident of Guazhou, was hosting 11 travelers at his home on Saturday. “As all hotel rooms are full, I am willing to help anyone in need and contribute in any way,” he said. “They are all friends from different places and we are ready to help in any way we can.” Feng Dongjiao, a tourist from Xinjiang who was stranded in Dunhuang, Gansu province, said that after being exposed to the bad weather on the highway for a long time, she was showing signs of hypoglycemia when she arrived at a hotel in the city. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
