Heavy fog disrupts air traffic in Xinjiang

Lingering fog has left more than 10,000 passengers stranded at an airport in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Approximately 350 inbound and outbound flights were called off on Wednesday and Thursday, and nearly 200 delayed on Thursday at the the Diwopu International Airport in Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, according to statistics from the airport's operation command center.

The visibility in the airport failed to meet the required level for take-offs as of Thursday morning, with the fog persisting.

The harsh weather has also hampered road traffic. At around noon on Wednesday, a 21-car pile-up occurred on a highway linking Urumqi and Kuytun City, injuring four people.