Snowfall Brings Transport Disruption to Beijing

On 3 January 2010 heavy snowfall caused significant transportation disruptions across Beijing. At least 1,200 flights at Beijing Capital International Airport were delayed or cancelled because of the weather. The Beijing airport delayed nearly 500 flights and cancelled more than 750 flights. Only one of the three runways is currently operational. In addition to the flight disruptions, several highways in Beijing, Tianjin and surrounding provinces were closed to traffic due to the icy conditions. Schools were also closed. According to reports on 4 January, more than 7,000 police officers have been deployed throughout the capital and nearly 5,000 volunteers are reportedly in place to control the overcrowded public transportation hubs. Meanwhile, on 4 January more than 9,000 passengers were stranded in Chengdu, which is located in the southwestern province of Sichuan, due to heavy fog. Dozens of flights were cancelled or delayed due to the poor visibility, which fell to only 350 m/380 yd.