East Asia shivers in the cold

One-of-a-kind weather: Residents in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China, watching the snow fall. (Inset) Birds sitting on a frozen crane sculpture fountain with icicles hanging from its wings at a park in Tokyo, Japan. — Agencies

HONG KONG: Snow, sleet and icy winds across Asia caused deaths, flight cancellations and chaos over the weekend as areas used to basking in balmier climates struggled with record-low temperatures.

Weather-related deaths were reported in Japan and Taiwan, with hundreds of flights cancelled across the region, tens of thousands of holidaymakers stranded in South Korea and freezing conditions in sub-tropical Hong Kong causing mayhem on its tallest peak.