JEJU (South Korea), Feb. 8 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- Heavy snow grounded flights at Jeju International Airport on Sunday, stranding an estimated 11,000 passengers on South Korea's southern resort island, officials said, Yonhap News Agency reported.
Runway operations at Jeju International Airport were suspended until 11 a.m. due to heavy snow and strong winds, according to the airport operator.
Of the 461 flights scheduled, 163 inbound and outbound flights were cancelLed and five aircraft were diverted, leaving thousands of passengers stranded at the airport.
Airport officials deployed snow-removal vehicles to clear runways, but flight operations were expected to remain disrupted even after services resumed as the snowstorm continued.
Jeju International Airport and the provincial government are ready to provide emergency supplies to support stranded passengers, if needed. The airport possesses some 2,700 blankets, 1,500 mattresses and 1,000 bottles of water, while the provincial government also holds 2,158 blankets and 2,158 mattresses for emergency use.
A heavy snow warning was in effect for Jeju's mountainous areas. Weather officials said areas near Mount Halla received 21.5 centimetres of snow over the past 24 hours as of noon.
-- BERNAMA-YONHAP
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