Clearance in full swing as heavy snowfall hits Xinjiang

Heavy snowfall and avalanches have severely impacted various areas of Altay Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region over the past few days. This has prompted local traffic administration authorities to escalate their efforts in snow clearance.

Altay Prefecture, a popular winter vacation destination renowned for its abundant snow that attracts visitors to its ski resorts, is currently grappling with accumulated snow on the ground in Altay City and its nearby regions since Monday. In response, substantial snow removal vehicles have been deployed to maintain the roads clear and safe.

Emergency snow-clearing operations have been in progress on No. 232 Provincial Highway leading to the Kanas Scenic Area of Altay. Despite the cessation of heavy snowfall after more than four consecutive days, the prolonged and substantial snow, combined with a temperature increase to around minus two degrees Celsius, has heightened the moisture content and instability of the snow. Consequently, avalanches have become frequent, particularly on steep slope sections.

Up to this point, a total of 31 avalanches have been documented along the 70-plus-kilometer stretch of the highway, with 24 successfully cleared and seven currently under active resolution.

Zhao Jinsheng, the head of the Highway Administration Bureau of Altay, highlighted the two significant challenges faced at present. Firstly, there is the concern that snowdrifts may refill the cleared roads, necessitating repeated snow removal operations. Secondly, the ongoing threat of avalanches and unstable snowpacks persists. To face these challenges, local authorities deployed 16 units of machinery and 26 troubleshooters for the current situation.

(Cover is a screenshot.)