China: 244 passengers evacuated from blizzard

Rescuers in China have evacuated 244 passengers from their vehicles after they were trapped in a blizzard in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

The people were stranded on highways in Maytas in northern Xinjiang by snow drifts and low visibility since Friday, according to a local highway official.

All the passengers were rescued by early morning on Saturday and their vehicles made safe, state run Xinhua news agency reported late last night.

Maytas is known for its strong gales and blizzards, which often leave passengers stranded and force the closure of local highways.