NANCHANG, Feb. 9 -- Dozens of flights were delayed and several highways were closed after heavy snow hit east China's Jiangxi Province on Sunday morning.

About 20 flights had been delayed by 10 a.m. at the Changbei International Airport in the provincial capital of Nanchang. Airport staff are clearing the ice on the taxiway, according to the airport.

Entrances to several highways were also closed as the number of road accidents related to slippery increased, according to the provincial transportation department.

The Jiangxi provincial meteorological station on Sunday morning issued a blue alert for blizzards that will sweep through the province in the next 12 hours.

Snow and sleet will continue to hit the province in the next four days, bringing down the temperatures by 5 to 8 degrees Celsius, according to the station.