Much of China’s north and northeast have been inundated with severe air pollution this winter, and while the air in the south is generally better, there are certainly exceptions — just ask residents of Chengdu in the southwestern province of Sichuan.

Having endured severe air pollution for ten days before finally issuing an orange alert on December 29, the air pollution got so bad in Chengdu last Saturday that 10,000 passengers at the city’s Shuangliu Airport were delayed.

With visibility on the runway reduced to only ten meters, airport operations were shut down for two hours and 45 minutes. Thirty-seven incoming flights were directed away, while three were ordered to return to their point of origin. A total of 180 flights were delayed, and another 11 flights were cancelled.

Other city systems and activities were affected by the heavy smog. A run scheduled for New Year’s Day was cancelled, while the city’s second ring road was among many highways and roads that were closed yesterday.