China: Second wave of snow in center and east through Jan. 7 /update 1

Event

As of Friday, January 5, at least ten people have been killed in central and eastern China since January 2 due to snowstorms. Most deaths were due to buildings collapsing under the weight of the snow on their roofs. The National Meteorological Center has lifted a blizzard alert but warned that moderate snowfall was expected across much of the central, eastern, and northern region through Sunday, January 7.

Three airports were closed and nine experienced major disruptions (delays, cancelations) on January 4. However, as of January 5, all airports in China are open and running, with only three reporting delays.

High-speed trains from Shanghai and Beijing continue to face cancelations on Friday and highways remain closed in the provinces of Jiangsu, Henan, Shaanxi, and Hubei.

Context

Hefei Xinqiao International Airport (HFE), Fuyang Xiguan Airport (FUG), and Jining Qufu Airport (JNG) were closed on January 4. Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) experienced major flight disruptions.

Advice

Individuals are advised to check the status of their flights before traveling to the airport and to stay abreast of the weather situation via local media.