China avalanche nightmare: Tourists trapped for a week, many injured airlifted

China avalanches: The injured have been airlifted on a a military helicopter while supplies such as food and fuel were being flown in as well, it was reported.

Rescuers evacuated tourists from a skiing area in northwestern China where dozens of avalanches triggered by heavy snow trapped more than 1,000 people for a week. The avalanches blocked roads owing to which both tourists and residents in a village in Altay prefecture in Xinjiang region were trapped. The injured have been airlifted on a a military helicopter while supplies such as food and fuel were being flown in as well, it was reported.

In this image taken from video footage run by China's CCTV, excavators clear a road blocked by snow in Altay Prefecture in northwestern China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. (AP)

State broadcaster CCTV said a snow-blocked road linking Hemu village to major roads was cleared. This was helping vehicles to enter and tourists to drive themselves out, the report added as footage showed tourists taking their luggage towards a military helicopter. A long line of outgoing cars was seen on the cleared road as the local highway administration said that the avalanches affected 350 kilometers (220 miles) of roads but because of the area's geography road clearing efforts were hampered,

Altay prefecture- an emerging ski destination- had been hit by heavy snowfall since early January. The Xinjiang meteorological bureau said at least 31 avalanches were reported and the area will be closed until at least Jan. 20 due to continued extreme weather.