Avalanche traps at least 10 in NW China

URUMQI, March 13 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were trapped in an avalanche on Thursday morning in China's northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the local government said.

The accident happened at around 10 a.m.. The missing were all workers at a mountainous gas pipeline construction site in the Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili in the region's northern area, said Zhang Yun, the prefecture's deputy Party chief, who was on his way to the site.

Rescue efforts were hampered as the road to the site was covered by one meter of snow.