TEHRAN – A Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari tourism official has warned tourists and travelers not to approach the province’s glaciers to avoid potential dangers.

Due to the reduction in the thickness of the glaciers and the possibility of their collapse, tourists need to refrain from entering them to have a safe trip in nature, ILNA quoted Farjam Samiei as saying on Sunday.

He also asked nature travelers to extinguish fires, avoid unauthorized access to water resources including rivers, dams, and lakes, use the services of valid tour guides, refrain from driving in bad weather, and avoid lighting gas appliances in closed spaces and tents.

One of the top destinations for nature travelers in the region is Chama Ice Cave, which despite its natural beauty, is very dangerous.

Located in the central part of Koohrang city, the ice cave is a popular spot for people wanting to get away from the heat.

The icy layers of this cave are slightly thick in hot seasons and it is necessary to avoid passing over them and inside the cave. Chama Ice Cave is one of the most amazing caves in the province. Its location in deep valleys and the accumulation of snow for many years in this cave has caused the ice caps and huge masses of snow to remain permanently in all seasons.

However, almost every year, ice collapse in this cave causes unfortunate incidents.

Last year, one tourist lost his life when tons of ice and rock collapsed in the cave. A year earlier, the cave collapsed leaving one dead.

In 2017 two tourists from Shiraz, Fars province, were also killed in a similar incident.

ABU/MG