Snow spell ends in E.China

cctv.com 12-19-2005 10:02

Two weeks of heavy snow over two coastal cities in China eastern province of Shandong, has finally come to an end. Life is gradually returning to normal in Yantai and Weihai, which have rarely experienced such heavy snowfalls. On Saturday, meteorologists lifted warnings of snowstorms and frozen roads that had been in place for more than ten days.

The snow finally stopped falling in Yantai on Saturday night. And in Weihai, residents were able to enjoy the full moon.

But experts warn that a cold front is moving in quickly from Siberia, and the two cities are likely to be hit by a blizzard in the middle of the week. For the past two weeks, the two cities have suffered continuous snowstorms.

In Weihai, about ten centimeters of snow had accumulated over the weekend. Snowplows were used to clear major streets.

Despite the freezing temperatures, the city authorities called for donations to farmers who suffered substantial economic losses from the snowstorms. So far, the government has collected nearly 250 thousand US dollars worth of donations.

Xing Dongyue, general secretary of Weihai Charity Federation, said:"The breeding and fishing industries in the countryside were severely affected by the snow spell. Our aim is to help farmers restart their work."

Yantai experienced its heaviest snowfalls in two decades. Heavy snow even shut down primary and middle schools.

The snow caused poor visibility and transport systems were put under intense pressure. Traffic along major roads and motorways grounded to a halt, and transport departments had to spread sand on the city's major streets to prevent accidents.

Weihai and Yantai often suffer heavy snowfall and rain because of their geography and climate. Located on the Shandong Peninsula, the two cities are in a relatively warm area, but when cold air fronts arrive from Siberia, heavy rainfall often follows.

Editor:Wang Ping  Source:CCTV.com