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Premier Wen visits blizzard-hit province
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-13 09:26

Premier Wen visits blizzard-hit province
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L, front) shakes hands with a worker during his inspection in Xijiao Heating Co. Ltd. in Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province, Nov. 12, 2009. [Xinhua]
Traffic in the above regions have basically resumed function so far, but the snow still caused a number of deadly traffic accidents and highway closures, and had left tens of thousands of people stranded at major airports and expressways.

In Hebei, thousands of vehicles stretching more than three kilometers were jammed on the Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan expressway on Thursday night.

The Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of Civil Affairs have ordered local government officials to provide food, water, blankets and clothes to all stranded passengers.

Premier Wen visits blizzard-hit province
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C, front) inspects the supplies of commodities at a supermarket in Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province, Nov. 12, 2009. [Xinhua]

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education on Thursday also warned relevant departments to guard against possible accidents that might result from the unfavorable weather conditions.

Four children had died and 35 injured when two school canteens in northern China collapsed in heavy snow since Wednesday.

The education ministry called on local schools to look out for fire, traffic accidents and gas poisoning, as many parts of the country still used coal-fueled furnaces for heating.

They should also guard against on-campus mass infection of the A/H1N1 flu, and could postpone or suspend school if necessary, the ministry said.