By Xinhua
Beijing : Fresh snowstorm hit China, causing huge destruction and at least eight deaths.
Temperatures in Wuhan city in central province of Hubei plummeted by 19 degrees Celsius. Intense cold brought normal life to a standstill in the province. At least eight people were killed near the city in a road accident attributed to bad weather.
In Qingdao, in the eastern province of Shandong, snow forced several expressways to close temporarily. More than 160 people were sent to de-ice the roads.
In tropical Hainan province off China’s southern coast, temperature plunged after a 26-day rainy spell. Hainan provincial Meteorological Observatory issued a fog and rain alert to remind drivers of harsh road conditions.
In southwest China’s Yunnan province, which is known for its mild weather, the local meteorological station warned residents of heavy snowfall in the coming days.
The snowfall was expected to affect tourist resorts such as Xishuangbanna and Lijiang, where the evergreen plants and picturesque landscapes have drawn a large magnitude of visitors from home and abroad.
In some areas in Yunnan, continuous sleet is still playing havoc, disrupting the repair of the damaged pylons and telecommunication infrastructure.
More than 1.1 million phone and Internet subscribers have been affected.
The ferocious cold weather that struck southern China over the past month killed more than 100 people.