About 10,000 people were supposed to visit Mogao Grottoes on Sunday, according to the Dunhuang Academy of China.

Mogao Grottoes is closed on Sunday but will open to tourists after the floods recede and road traffic resumes, according to Luo.

Tourists who bought the tickets can get a refund at the ticket office.

Luo said, generally speaking, Mogao Grottoes is closed temporarily due to sandstorms or heavy rains to ensure the safety of tourists and cultural relics.

Such heavy rain, which continued for over 10 hours, is rare here, Luo said.

From 1981 to 2010, the average annual precipitation of the city was 42.2 mm, according to the meteorological bureau of Dunhuang. The bureau also forecasted that the city will see more rains from late afternoon to the evening on Sunday.