New round of snow closes North China expressways

CHANGCHUN/HOHHOT - Expressways in North China were forced to close on Friday after a new round of snow hit the region.

In Northeast China, the Public Security Department of Jilin province has stopped coaches, trucks and vehicles loaded with chemicals and dangerous articles from traveling along all expressways in the province as of 9 am.

Sections of the Shenji Expressway, linking Shenyang City in neighboring Liaoning province and Jilin city in Jilin province, have been put under temporary traffic control, according to the department.

The Jilin provincial meteorological observatory issued a blue warning for further snowstorms on Thursday afternoon.

China has a four-color-coded warning system for its weather forecast, with red being the most serious, followed by orange, yellow and blue.

In North China's Inner Mongolia autonomous region, sections of 16 expressways including the Jingzang Expressway, which links Beijing and Lhasa, capital of Tibetan autonomous region, have been forced to close due to snow.

On Friday morning, snowfall halted all bus services in Tongliao city in the region. In Chifeng city, buses and coaches have not been in operation for seven consecutive days because of snow.

It is the third round of snowfall to hit Inner Mongolia this month. The region's local meteorological authorities said it will not clear up until Nov 21.