Scientists blamed as more snow hits Beijing

PHOTO

A cyclist rides past a row of snow-covered bicycles parked along a street in central Beijing on November 10, 2009 after snow blanketed the capital the night before.

Last Updated: Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:41:00 +1100

Chinese scientists are again being blamed for artificially inducing the second major snowstorm in Beijing this season.

The China Daily quotes an unnamed official, saying the Beijing Weather Modification Office artificially induced both storms by seeding clouds with chemicals.

The office has refused to comment on the report.

City weather officials previously said that such methods are aimed at alleviating a drought over much of north China, including Beijing, that has lingered for more than a decade.

Beijing's citizens have suffered flight delays, traffic hold-ups, cancelled school classes and other problems because of the heavy snow.

Meanwhile, thousands of vehicles were trapped on roads after two days of snow in the northern Chinese province of Shanxi.

State media says the weather has stranded around 30,000 people, as well as disrupted the movement of coal in the country's biggest coal-producing region.