With many popular tourist sites across the country reporting record numbers of visitors during the ongoing Golden Week holidays, travel accidents resulting in injury and deaths have also hit the headlines in the past few days.

The National Holiday Office, a government agency established for Golden Week holiday operations, has warned local governments, tourist companies, resort sites and tourists that they must be prudent.

The worst accident happened about 8:30 am Friday in Lincang City in southwest Yunnan Province. Fourteen were killed and 45 injured when a heavy-duty truck ploughed into a crowd waiting at a bus stop.

The truck, leaving Yunnan for Chongqing, lost control after it collided head-on with a passenger car. Nine people waiting on the roadside were killed instantly. Five more died on the way to the hospital.

In the capital city of Beijing, a group of nine senior citizens went climbing in the Fragrance Mountains in the suburbs of Beijing in the small hours on Friday, but only eight came back alive. A 64-year-old man died of a heart attack. Rescuers said poor mobile phone signals in remote area and darkness made it hard for them to reach the man before it was too late.

Also on Friday, a man was drowned in One-Hundred-Flower Valley, a popular tourist destination in southeastern Beijing.

The same day, a group of four daring young people trekking in the Yunmeng Mountains in suburban Beijing got themselves lost twice. The first time, they happened to come across a park staffer who gave them directions. The second time, they were lucky to be rescued by a police patrol.

On May 2, an avalanche in Yunnan killed 2 and injured 7. The same day, a float plane and a yacht collided at a waterpark in Nanjing, and seriously injured a 13-year-old girl.

The National Holiday Office said in a circular seen by Xinhua on Saturday that tourists on expeditions should beware of accidents when in remote areas or outside the periphery of parks and tourist resorts. Tourists who are keen for adventure during the holidays "should be well prepared and instructed by professionals," it said.

The rising number of private cars in Chinese cities has given rise to a new generation of adventurers who are fascinated with outdoor exploration during holiday time.

With holiday traffic heavy all over the country, China has seen tourists accidents almost every day since the beginning of the May Day Holiday.

Two rafts collided with each other on May 1, in a water park in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei province, injuring 6 people.

According to the Ministry of Railways, a record 5.16 million people traveled on trains on last Monday alone. And from April 28 to May 7, 45 million people will take the train, up 8 percent year-on-year.

The ongoing seven-day holiday is China's 20th Golden Week since the concept was created seven years ago to boost travel and domestic consumption. The Spring Festival, the May Day holidays and National Day holidays are all Golden Week holidays.

Source: Xinhua