Heavy snow affects traffic

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Source: CCTV.com | 01-20-2008 13:11

Snow continues to fall in many parts of China, causing more headaches for travellers ahead of the traditional Spring Festival.

A large scale blizzard hit Ali Prairie in Tibet Autonomous Region on Friday morning, forcing sections of Xinzang Highway linking Xinjiang and Tibet to close, and stranding vehicles and passengers.

A large scale blizzard hit Ali Prairie in Tibet Autonomous Region on Friday morning, forcing sections of Xinzang Highway linking Xinjiang and Tibet to close, and stranding vehicles and passengers. Soldiers from the Chinese People's Armed Police Force, or the CAPF, worked to clear the road with snow machines. So far 69 passengers and 20 vehicles have been rescued.

Heavy snow continues to fall in the region, forcing some of the previously cleared roads to close once again. And the Ali Meteorological Bureau predicts more snow is on the way. Traffic control measures are in place along the whole of Xinzang Highway. Five CAPF rescue teams have headed to an altitude of nearly 7 thousand meters, where the rescue of stranded passengers is expected to be the hardest.