Heavy snow hits central Shanghai for first time in a decade
Extreme weather disrupts flights and train services, with several road accidents during rush hour
Shanghai residents are revelling in rare snow, but the extreme weather has disrupted flights and trains in the region and the city also saw a series of traffic accidents during rush hour on Friday.
Many people braved the cold to enjoy the novelty of snow blanketing downtown Shanghai, which has not seen significant snowfall for a decade. In the city’s central area, the snow was 4cm deep, while in the suburbs it was 5cm to 10cm.
Zhao Fang, an office manager and mother of a preschooler, said she took the day off work and gave her son the day off school on Friday to fully enjoy the snow.
“We don’t want to miss this rare opportunity to play in the snow,” she said. “Who knows how many more years it will be before snow will fall again in Shanghai.”
Photos shared online by thrilled residents showed people frolicking in the snow, leaving messages on snow-covered cars, making snow angels and building snowmen.