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IT'S COLD OUTSIDE: A policeman on duty in Tiananmen Square as Beijing is shrouded in thick fog with winter's first snowfall. The weather left passengers stranded at airports and caused chaos on the roads yesterday. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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BEIJING - CHINA'S capital was shrouded in thick fog as the first snowfall of the winter started yesterday, causing havoc on the roads and extensive flight delays at one of the nation's busiest airports.
Most departing flights from Beijing were pushed back by at least an hour throughout the day and more delays were anticipated in the evening, a staff member at Beijing airport's information desk said.
More than 130 incoming and outgoing flights were late as of midday while airport staff hurried to scrape snow off runways, the China News Service reported.
Morning flights from Beijing to Shanghai, one of the busiest domestic routes, were late by between 30 minutes and two hours, said the airport official, who declined to give her name.
Three flights to Hong Kong were delayed by at least an hour, according to Dragonair's website.
Meanwhile, snowfall caused chaos on roads, forcing sections of several expressways on the outskirts of the capital to close temporarily, the China News Service said.
Visibility on roads was reduced to less than 500m in some urban areas, according to the Xinhua news agency, causing traffic jams on more than 100 roads. Traffic on roads into the capital was also brought to a standstill.
As the snow fell on the city for the first time this winter season, nearly 1,900 workers were deployed to clean up the streets, Xinhua said.
Elsewhere, more than 2,000 passengers were stranded for the second day at an airport in north-west Xinjiang region yesterday as a result of the lingering fog.
More than 70 flights arriving at or departing from Urumqi International Airport have been cancelled or delayed since Sunday, Xinhua said.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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