Unusually heavy snowfall in China leaves at least ten dead

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Unusually heavy snowfall in central China has been blamed for at least 10 deaths and has stranded hundreds of thousands of people ahead of the peak Lunar New Year travel season, state media said Monday. Heavy snow accumulation damaged thousands of homes, and at least one person was crushed to death when a roof collapsed at a gas station, the reports said. Xinhua said nine others died, but gave no details. Snow closed highways and forced the cancellation of scores of flights in the provinces of Hubei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu and Anhui, where snow in some areas was the heaviest in 17 years. The official government forecasting agency said the heavy snow was caused by moist southern air colliding with frigid winds sweeping southward from Siberia. The forecast said snow would likely continue in the affected areas through at least Tuesday.