Because it is just the start of spring, the Chinese government has not yet removed loose rocks on Deicai Mountains to avert disaster. During springtime, it is not uncommon for the rocks to become loose, according to Zhou Zhengxi, a security guard of a hotel near Deicai.

On Thursday, one such boulder fell and killed seven tourists and injured 26 others, reported NBC News. The huge rock hit a group of Chinese visitors who were just leaving a sightseeing boat, according to CCTV and China Daily. Four of the tourists died on the spot, while the three others died later in the hospital.

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Most of the victims were Chinese visitors from Taiwan. Taipei Times reported that two Taiwanese suffered fractured hand but rejoined the tour group after being treated. All the Taiwanese tourists were covered by travel and medical insurance for the injuries they had during the trip.

The 36 Taiwanese tourists were part of a group tour organized by the Castle Travel Service based in Kaohsiung. They have been in Guangxi since Tuesday and are scheduled to leave China on Monday.

Despite the accident, the tourists, through a survey, said they would want to continue with the tour. Their tour guide, Huang Chien-yi, said it had been raining heavily the past few days in Guilin.

A local resident recalls that everyone was panicking, while the tour guides and others were crying. Another witness described the disaster scene as appalling when the boulder, estimated to be almost 10 feet wide, fell and hit the tourists.

Tagsboulder, accident, deicai mountains, tourist