Heavy snow causes chaos across China

Cold weather and heavy snow have struck unusually large swathes of central and eastern China this week, forcing the closure of highways, causing accidents and disrupting flights, state media said on Friday.

The extreme weather had caused 311 million yuan ($43 million) in economic losses to the central provinces of Hubei and Hunan, the People’s Daily said.

In Hubei, which has seen its heaviest snow in 16 years, fire engines have carrying drinking water to thousands of residents in the provincial capital, Wuhan, due to frozen pipes.

Some 120,000 cars and 500,000 passengers were stranded in Hunan for days were only fully evacuated on Thursday, the People’s Daily said.

Beijing, Friday, Reuters