TEMPERATURES have plummeted in eastern Asia as the coldest weather in decades hits the region.

The frigid air blasted south from the Arctic, with Beijing seeing a maximum temperature of just -13C on Saturday.

The cold air then continued south, ensuring that since 3 a.m. on Saturday night, Shanghai’s temperature has remained below freezing. The temperature should be nearer 8C at this time of year, but yesterday the maximum was -4C.

In Chongqing, residents were treated to their first snowfall since 1996. The unusual weather paralysed parts of the city, leaving thousands of travellers stranded at the airport.

Meanwhile in the southeastern province of Fujian, freezing rain coated the landscape with thick ice. The weight of the frozen water caused trees to bow and powerlines to snap, triggering numerous power-cuts.