Heavy snow strands 5,000 passengers at Urumqi airport

URUMQI, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- More than 5,000 passengers were stranded due to heavy snow in Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, authorities said Tuesday.

According to the Diwopu International Airport, a total of 99 inbound and outbound flights have been canceled and 31 outbound flights delayed, leaving more than 5,000 passengers stranded at the airport as of 3:40 p.m.

Five flights had landed at alternative airports, and one returned.

Authorities have alerted passengers to rearrange their schedules.