Ice lantern festival in Beijing dazzles visitors with ice sculptures, light effects

The 40th Longqing Gorge Ice Lantern Art Festival opened in suburban Beijing Thursday, dazzling visitors with ice sculptures and light effects.

The festival is themed "Legends of Longqing Gorge: A Tribute to the Classics", looking back on four decades of ice-and-snow cultural tourism development.

Drawing inspiration from the classic Chinese animated film "Monkey King: Havoc in Heaven", the event creates a fantastic ice world, offering visitors an immersive winter cultural and tourism experience.

This year's festival covers 500,000 square meters, with nearly half dedicated to ice and lantern displays set against a natural ice-covered canyon.

"I came to this ice lantern exhibition today with great curiosity. The Monkey King and various deities, all carved in ice, are truly a feast for the eye," said Li Yaolin, a tourist.

"We used 5,000 cubic meters of ice to create 20 ice structures and 151 small ice sculptures. This year, we've introduced a mountain laser show, using the mountain as a natural backdrop. Visitors can experience a breathtaking light show here," said Wen Mingyun, director of Public Center of Longqing Gorge Scenic Area.

The festival in Longqing Gorge first opened in 1987. Visitors born in that year can enter for free with a valid ID. The festival runs until March.

Ice lantern festival in Beijing dazzles visitors with ice sculptures, light effects

South Africa's National Disaster Management Centre declared a national disaster on Sunday as heavy rains and flooding continued to batter northern parts of the country.

According to local media reports, continuous rainfall since late December has caused severe flooding in Limpopo Province, where at least 17 people, including two children, have died. Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Velenkosini Hlabisa said in a statement on Sunday that 20 people had been killed in flood-related incidents in Mpumalanga Province.

More than 1,600 homes and 31 schools have been affected in Limpopo, while over 1,000 homes in Mpumalanga have suffered varying degrees of damage. The flooding has also forced the partial closure of Kruger National Park, one of Africa's largest wildlife reserves, with more than 600 visitors evacuated after rising waters inundated access roads and campsites.

The South African National Defence Force has deployed two helicopters to assist with rescue operations and evacuate residents stranded in hard-hit areas.

S Africa declares national disaster as flooding batters northern region

S Africa declares national disaster as flooding batters northern region