Several injured in 100-car pile-up on icy China expressway

BEIJING: Several people were injured after more than 100 cars collided into each other on an icy stretch of an expressway in the Chinese city of Suzhou, state media reported on Friday, the latest accident caused by extreme weather conditions.

Dramatic footage from state television CCTV and social media showed numerous cars clumped together haphazardly on the highway with one jack-knifed at a severe angle in the air. Glass and debris could be seen scattered everywhere.

Three people were injured and hospitalised, while six suffered minor scratches, Suzhou Industrial Park traffic police reported on its WeChat social media account.

Road traffic has been restored and the cause of the accident is being investigated, the police said.

Over the past few weeks, large parts of China have been hit by cold waves, blizzards and icy rain, impacting transport at a time millions of people are rushing home for the Lunar New Year holiday celebrations.

During this week, the government raised its emergency response for freezing temperatures and also started several plans for transportation flow, supplies and electricity in provinces and cities including Beijing, Hebei, Shanxi, Anhui and Hubei, Xinhua news reported.

The China Meteorological Administration maintained a heightened warning for freezing and low temperatures in several central and southern areas.

According to weather warning data on VariFlight, 34 of the more than 260 airports in the country have issued fog and snow warnings, CCTV reported.