Skip to Content Facebook Feature Image

Heavy snow sweeps central China's Henan, disrupting traffic, closing schools

China

China

China

Heavy snow sweeps central China's Henan, disrupting traffic, closing schools

2026-01-20 15:03 Last Updated At:17:52

A cold wave has brought heavy snow across much of central China's Henan Province since Monday, disrupting traffic while triggering road closures and school suspensions in multiple cities.

In Zhengzhou, capital city of Henan, transport authorities launched snow removal and road maintenance operations to keep traffic moving. Over 4,800 pieces of machinery and over 36,000 staff members were deployed on site.

As of 06:00 on Tuesday, traffic on major arterial roads and expressways resumed, though some secondary streets still held accumulated snow, with relevant departments continuing intensive removal efforts.

Affected by the heavy snow, over 500 trucks were stranded at toll stations on highways in Jiyuan City on Monday afternoon. Local traffic authorities coordinated efforts to guide them toward their destinations, implementing safety measures.

Highways across the province remain under traffic control on Tuesday.

Rail services responded swiftly as well. The local railway authority launched an emergency response on Monday, mobilizing more than 10,000 staff to clear snow from rail tracks.

Meanwhile, schools in various cities, including Zhengzhou, Luohe, and Xinyang, issued notices of a two-day class suspension on Monday, with resumption dates to be determined based on weather conditions.

By 12:00 on Tuesday, a total of 241 sections of national and provincial highways across 12 provinces in China have been proactively closed or restricted due to the low temperature and heavy snow. Among these, 56 sections are fully closed, and 185 toll stations have halted operations for safety.

Heavy snow sweeps central China's Henan, disrupting traffic, closing schools

Heavy snow sweeps central China's Henan, disrupting traffic, closing schools

The European Union and the United Nations issued a joint report on Monday saying that human development across Gaza has been set back by a staggering 77 years, with 71.4 billion U.S. dollars needed over the next decade for its recovery and reconstruction.

According to the Final Gaza Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment, jointly conducted by the EU and UN with the World Bank, 26.3 billion U.S. dollars will be needed in the first 18 months to restore essential services, rebuild critical infrastructure and support economic recovery.

Physical infrastructure damages are estimated at 35.2 billion U.S. dollars, with economic and social losses amounting to 22.7 billion U.S. dollars from the Israel-Hamas war that began on October 7, 2023.

The report finds that all sectors have been devastated, including housing, health, education, commerce and agriculture.

In Gaza, at least 371,888 housing units have been destroyed or damaged, more than 50 percent of hospitals are non-functional, and nearly all schools have been destroyed or damaged. The economy has contracted by 84 percent.

The impact on the lives of Gazans is just as devastating: more than 60 percent of the population have lost their homes and 1.9 million people displaced, often multiple times. Women, children, persons with disabilities, and those with pre-existing vulnerabilities bear the greatest burden.

Over two years of conflict has resulted in more than 71,000 Palestinian fatalities and over 171,000 injured, according to local authorities, with many still missing under the rubble.

Gaza's reconstruction in next decade needs 71.4 billion US dollars: report

Gaza's reconstruction in next decade needs 71.4 billion US dollars: report

Recommended Articles