Heavy fog blankets parts of China

A heavy fog advisory has been issued for large parts of China, including Shaanxi, Henan and Hebei Provinces. Visibility is poor, and transportation has been seriously disrupted.

Fog rolled into most of Shaanxi Province in the northwest on Monday, where visibility dropped to less than 1,000 meters.

Fog rolled into most of Shaanxi Province in the northwest on Monday, where visibility dropped to less than 1,000 meters. The Xi'an and Xianyang's international airports have delayed a number of flights, and many highways have been temporarily closed. Local authorities have deployed police forces to patrol sections of highway, setting up fog lights at entrances and exits. Drivers have been advised to drive slowly and remain alert.

In central Henan Province, heavy fog has also severely hampered road transport. An orange fog alert has been issued, and police are directing traffic. A similar situation has developed in Liaoning, Shandong and Chongqing. The Meteorological Bureau says the fog is due to melting snow as temperatures rise across China following a period of unusually bitter cold weather.