Snow interrupts schools, transport in Heilongjiang

Snow brought suspensions of primary schools, middle schools and kindergartens, as well as off-campus educational institutions in six districts in the main urban area of Harbin, Heilongjiang province, on Monday.

The city's education bureau issued the notice after an alert for heavy snowfall was issued on Sunday.

According to the Harbin meteorological observatory, there will be significant impacts on transportation in a number of districts and counties in Harbin until Tuesday, including heavy rain, snow and icy roads.

All highway passenger transport in the city was suspended until further notice, traffic officials said.

The Heilongjiang branch of China Southern Airlines initiated a yellow warning for severe winter weather starting on Sunday morning, with 49 flights expected to be canceled in Heilongjiang.

To cope with the extreme weather and ensure smooth travel for residents, the Harbin subway will increase its operating capacity. From 6 am to 10:30 pm on Monday, trains on Line 1, Line 2, and Line 3 was set to operate at higher frequency throughout the day.

Operating times and density will be dynamically adjusted based on weather and passenger flow to reduce passenger waiting times and maximize service.

China Harbin Railway Group issued warnings for major railway sections affected by the snow and added six sets of trains on the Harbin-Mudanjiang high-speed railway offering passengers the option of continuing their journeys on the faster trains.

After the storm, sanitation departments across the city mobilized workers and equipment to carry out snow- and ice- clearing operations.

As of 7 am on Monday, more than 24,000 workers and 2,700 snow clearing machines had been deployed in the city.