Heavy snow hits north and central China, disrupting traffic and canceling classes

Heavy snow has blanketed northern and central China, disrupting traffic and forcing schools to cancel classes. Flights and intercity train traffic on which much of China’s commuters rely were delayed or canceled on Wednesday. Authorities in the provinces of Hebei, Henan and Shandong have issued warnings of travel hazards and other cold weather dangers. Tens of thousands of workers with brooms and shovels have been deployed, assisted by snow plows in the hardest-hit regions. The capital, Beijing, which hosted last year’s Winter Olympic Games, has seen temperatures around freezing. No fatalities from the latest cold wave have been reported.