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Cold wave, heavy snow hit northern China

China

China

China

Cold wave, heavy snow hit northern China

2025-03-13 15:26 Last Updated At:03-14 00:17

Many areas in China's northern region experienced a significant temperature drop and strong snowstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday.

A heavy snowstorm began blanketing Qinghe County of Altay Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from the early hours of Wednesday.

The snow and icy conditions caused vehicles to skid and become stranded on the roads. Local traffic police swiftly responded to assist the trapped vehicles.

On Thursday noon, the snow started to ease, and the traffic was gradually returning to normal.

In the Hulun Buir City of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, a severe snowstorm began sweeping through the area on Tuesday night, trapping many vehicles and people on roads.

The rescue teams were quickly mobilized to clear snow and transfer the stranded vehicles and individuals to safe areas.

The snow ceased at 19:00 on Wednesday.

Rain, snow, and strong winds began to affect areas such as Hegang and Heihe cities in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province in the early hours of Wednesday.

The local traffic police department activated the emergency response plan for severe weather and increased police forces on key road sections.

"We have made arrangements in advance and deployed all our personnel on duty. We have also spread the anti-slip materials such as ash on slippery road sections in advance to prevent traffic accidents," said Jia Yukun, squadron leader of the Traffic Police Detachment of the Hegang City Public Security Bureau.

According to the Heilongjiang Provincial Meteorological Bureau, the snow is expected to continue until Saturday.

Cold wave, heavy snow hit northern China

Cold wave, heavy snow hit northern China

Northern China braces cold wave, heavy snow

Northern China braces cold wave, heavy snow

At least 200 miners were killed after several mine shafts collapsed at coltan sites in Rubaya of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, a spokesperson for the March 23 Movement rebel group confirmed on Friday.

Most of the victims were artisanal miners who were buried, the spokesperson said, adding that children and women were also among the dead.

The collapses occurred on Wednesday and Thursday at different coltan mines in Rubaya, an area controlled by the rebels since April 2024.

Coltan, or columbite-tantalite, is the main source of tantalum, a rare metal used in the production of advanced electronic devices. The United Nations estimated that the Rubaya mines alone account for about 15 percent of the global tantalum supply.

At least 200 killed in mine collapse in eastern DR Congo

At least 200 killed in mine collapse in eastern DR Congo

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