Shenyang and neighbouring cities of Liaoning Province were digging out yesterday from the first snowfall of the winter on Wednesday night, which snarled traffic and delayed flights.

Shenyang Taoxian International Airport c losed at 8 pm Wednesday, inconveniencing travel on 21 delayed or cancelled flights, according to the Northeastern Air Traffic Management Bureau of the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China (CAAC). And it did not open until 6 am.

"We have cleared the runways, and everything has resumed now," an information officer of the airport who did not want to be identified told China Daily.

This is the first snow for Liaoning this winter, which was almost one month later than last year. And it swept across seven other cities in the province. Several highways were still closed last night, police said.

The snowfall also caused traffic jams and many accidents in downtown Shenyang because of icy roads even though crews had started clearing the roads since early yesterday morning.

Aside from all the inconveniences, the snow cleaned the air and eased the tension from bird flu that had gripped the province since early November.

"The snow can purify the air and thus reduce the flu danger," said Dr Wang Ping of the Shenyang Disease Control Centre. "More important, the snow will force migrating birds to leave Liaoning and cut the possible infection channel."

Local governments reacted quickly after the snow. Shenyang Deputy Mayor Xing Kai ordered crews to clean roads immediately overnight and ensure the operation of major roads.

(China Daily December 2, 2005)