One of China’s five sacred mountains closed to tourists

XI’AN – Huashan Mountain, known as one of China’s five sacred mountains, has been closed to tourists, after a rain-triggered landslide blocked the main road leading to the mountain’s cableway Tuesday afternoon, the scenic administration authority said Wednesday.

No casualties have been reported. But some unconfirmed sources said two workers with the scenic administration are feared buried.

Huo Wenjun, head of the Huashan Mountain Scenic Area Administration Committee, told Xinhua the estimated 3,000-cubic meter landslide blocked a 30-meter section of the road, stranding 200 tourists on Tuesday.

“Those stranded have been able to get down from the mountain by using a pedestrian path,” he said adding that no casualties had been confirmed.

Huo said the scenic spot would remain closed until the debris was removed. So far, 200 people are working to clear the road.

Huashan is the most precipitous of China’s five sacred mountains, which also include Mt. Tai in eastern Shandong Province, Hengshan in northern Shanxi Province, Songshan in central Henan Province and Hengshan in central Hunan Province.

It takes 3 hours to reach by car from Xi’an, capital of west China’s Shaanxi Province.