Tourists stranded on south China island

NANNING - More than 1,000 tourists have been stranded on an island off South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region due to adverse weather conditions caused by a tropical depression, local authorities said Thursday.

Ferries between the island and the mainland were suspended Tuesday because of high winds, stranding more than 2,000 tourists on Weizhou Island, roughly 30 miles off Beihai City.

A local tour operator on Wednesday arranged seven passenger ships to evacuate the tourists but only one could set sail, bringing back about 1,100 of the castaways. There are still about 1,000 tourists on the island.

Water and power have been cut off because of the wind.

Lin Shanqing, mayor of Beihai, is doing all he can to provide enough food and drinking water for the holidaymakers.

Resumption of ferry services will depend on the weather.