Heavy snowfall disrupts Beijing and Seoul activities

Beijing authorities have closed learning institutions and assembled thousands of residents to help clear highways after the heaviest snowstorm for nearly 60 years hit the country.

Up to 12 inches of snow fell in Beijing and its neighbouring city of Tianjin during the weekend, resulting in thousands of passengers stranded at China’s main international airport and the closure of city highways. According to local media, the snowfall in Beijing over the weekend was the most that the metropolitan city had experienced since 1951.

Over 3,500 schools in Tianjin and Beijing on Monday were forced to temporarily halt classes because of the freezing weather, giving about 2 million schoolchildren an extra day off. Meanwhile, thousands of volunteers were mobilized to help clear ice-covered streets with shovels despite of continued snowfall.

Over 30 highways in the Chinese capital are closed, although snow-covered inner city streets are carrying slow traffic. The authorities warn that the condition could push food costs up, strain gas supplies, delay and cancel flights, and halt operations of several businesses in Beijing and other nearby cities for several days.

Meanwhile, airport officials have informed that the terminal runways are now being cleared and planes unable to fly over the weekend are already de-iced. They further added that flight schedules would shortly be going back to normal. However, dozens of flights are currently cancelled and over 100 flights are delayed, leaving thousands of air travellers stranded.

Heavy snowfall has also resulted in flight delays and cancellations in South Korea. Incheon and Gimpo airports were reported cancelling several flights due to freezing weather condition.