Blizzard closes over 10 expressways in China's northeast province

Imaginechina

A blizzard has hit China's northeast province of Heilongjiang, forcing more than 10 expressways to close on Thursday.

The province's weather department issued an orange alert for severe snowstorms at 11:20am Thursday, forecasting more heavy snow.

Heavy snow battered the cities of Harbin, Suihua, Qitaihe, Jixi and Mudanjiang from 8am Wednesday. Snowfall in some areas had reached 10mm by 8am Thursday, a rare snow volume in late March in the province.

The blizzard is also expected to affect the herding and farming sectors of the province.

China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe, followed by orange, yellow and blue.