“Snowfall Chaos in China Flight Delays, School Closures Abound
BEIJING: Unseasonably cold weather and blizzards struck northeast China on Monday, leading to the rescheduling of hundreds of flights and the closure of schools. Several cities issued heightened weather alerts and urged people to stay indoors.
With snowfall reaching up to 25 centimeters, over 90% of expressway entrances in Jilin province were closed by 7 pm, as reported by state television CCTV. In China’s northernmost province, Heilongjiang, the local railway operator suspended 51 passenger lines due to safety concerns.
A gymnasium in Heilongjiang’s Jiamusi city collapsed, trapping three individuals inside, including children, according to State-run Jimu News. It remains unclear if the collapse was related to the heavy snowfall, and a rescue operation is currently underway.
In most parts of Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang, schools, kindergartens, and off-campus training institutions will remain closed on Tuesday, following their closure on Monday, as reported by CCTV.
China’s national weather forecaster reissued its orange blizzard alert — the second-highest tier of its color-coded warning system — at 6 pm, as more snow is expected from Monday night to Tuesday in parts of Jilin and Heilongjiang.
Earlier on Monday, 405 flights were canceled at Harbin Taiping International Airport, according to data from the third-party travel app Flight Master.
