BEIJING (AP) – Heavy snow blanketed swaths of China’s northeastern region, shutting schools and halting transportation in the first major snowstorm of the season.
Major highways in the northeastern city of Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province, were closed and flights cancelled, China’s state broadcaster CCTV said. Elementary and middle schools also cancelled classes on Monday.
The National Meteorological Center said on Monday snowfall is likely to “breakthrough the historical records” for the same period. Heavy snowstorms are expected to continue in parts of Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces, with snow depth reaching 20 centimetres in some places.
Footage showed delivery trucks stranded bumper to bumper, stretching one kilometre outside the city.
Chaoyang city in neighbouring Liaoning province also closed its schools and kindergartens.
China’s weather authorities issued an orange alert on Monday, the second highest on a scale of four.
