Highways shut as freezing temperatures, snow and ice blanket China

In the southwest, sections of many national and provincial highways in Tibetan cities such as Shigatse and Nyingchi were blocked due to snow, ice and low visibility as the skies have dumped snow since Monday.

The local government has mobilised 2,400 personnel, more than 3,300 metric tonnes of snow melting agent, and more than 23,000 cubic metres of anti-skid materials for prevention measures.

Photos from state media show tractors scooping up snow and people shovelling on roads against a backdrop of white mountains.

China lifted its warning for blizzards before dawn on Friday but said heavy snowfall is forecast in parts of the northeastern Liaoning and Jilin provinces as well as in Shandong.

In the city of Shenyang in Liaoning province, authorities deployed 22,000 workers and over 3,400 machines for snow removal operations, clearing as much as 12,800 cubic metres of snow by early Friday. Its observatory has forecast snowfall and strong winds until Saturday.

The national forecaster said the scope and intensity of freezing rain will decrease on Friday but will still appear in some higher terrains in Guizhou and Hunan.