Spring blossoms boost tourism in China

The breathtaking spring blossoms in provinces of Guizhou, Guangxi, and Yunnan are drawing crowds of visitors, transforming rural landscapes into popular tourist destinations and boosting local economies.

In recent days, hundreds of hectares of plum trees in Tangbian Town, Pingtang County, southwest China's Guizhou Province, have entered full bloom. The snow-white blossoms blanket the hillsides, creating a stunning spring spectacle.

"The vast stretch of snow-white blossoms, with their delicate fragrance, truly lifts my spirits," said tourist Xiong Qinqin.

With the rise of flower tourism, many visitors not only come to admire the blossoms in spring but also return in autumn to purchase fresh plums. This seasonal cycle has helped Tangbian Town attract tourists in the blooming season while boosting farmers' incomes during harvest time.

Elsewhere, similar floral spectacles are drawing visitors. In the Baping Terraces in Mangchang town, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, golden rapeseed flowers stretch across nearly 6,266 hectares, creating waves of yellow against the backdrop of traditional villages and winding field ridges. Tourists wander through the fields, enjoying the beauty of spring.

The county's crop rotation model of rice paddies and rapeseed enhances soil quality while promoting rural tourism, achieving both ecological and economic benefits.

In Kaiyuan City, southwest China's Yunnan Province, the yellow bell trees have entered peak bloom. Their golden blossoms adorn the branches, transforming the landscape into a dazzling golden sea of flowers. Visitors and locals alike are drawn to the spectacle.

In recent years, the region has embraced a tourism model combining cooperatives, businesses, blooming flowers and rural scenery, injecting vitality into the local economy.

Spring blossoms boost tourism in China

A large number of rescuers are racing against time to save survivors from the rubble in La Guaira state, the worst-hit region by the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday.

The twin quakes, measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, struck central Venezuela less than a minute apart on Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said Saturday that the death toll from the quakes had risen to 1,430, with 3,238 people injured and 3,142 families affected by the disaster.

La Guaira has been placed under military control. Access roads to the coastal state have been strictly restricted to emergency vehicles only, with civilian traffic barred to ensure unimpeded passage for rescue convoys, military trucks, and volunteer aid groups.

In one of the most dramatic scenes of destruction, an eight-story hotel with over 100 guest rooms in La Guaira has almost entirely collapsed, with only the entrance structure standing amid the debris.

Heavy machinery and a large number of rescuers are working at the site, where an estimated 20 to 30 people are believed to be trapped beneath the ruins -- most of them hotel staff.

"We estimate that 20 to 30 people are still trapped under the rubble. The number is significant. We also need to recover the deceased as quickly as possible," said a local official.

Authorities have called on the public to avoid traveling to the disaster zone to prevent clogging rescue routes, which are vital for delivering supplies and transferring the wounded to hospitals.

Rescuers race against time to save lives in Venezuela's La Guaira after devastating earthquake