2021-03-16T22:31:00+02:00 China 2024-09-15T08:57:51+03:00

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UNESCO World Heritage site Mogao Grottoes closed due to sandstorm

UNESCO World Heritage site Mogao Grottoes closed due to sandstorm

The UNESCO World Heritage site Mogao Grottoes in northwest China's Gansu Province was closed to the public on Tuesday after the province was hit by the heaviest sandstorm in 10 years on Monday, informs The Xinhua News Agency.

In order to ensure the safety of tourists and the cultural relics, Mogao Grottoes decided to temporarily close, said the Dunhuang Academy, adding that the reopening time will be announced at a later date as the storm passes.

Sandstorm in the north of China. Photo by Xinhua/Jiang Aiping.  

According to the Gansu provincial department of ecology and environment, the dusty weather will last until around Thursday.

The Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, a 1,600-year-old UNESCO World Heritage site, is located in the Gobi Desert, and the damage caused by wind-blown sand is one of the main environmental problems facing the world heritage site.