China issues red alert to deal with chaos at airport

China today declared a red alert atShenzhen International Airport to deal with irate passengers after cancellation of over 200 flights due to heavy rains and thunderstorms.
In the past 24 hours, 201 flights were cancelled, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported.
Photos and videos uploaded on social media showed chaotic scenes at the airport, the report said.
Passengers and police officers were seen pushing and shoving each other, lunch boxes were knocked over on the floor and two passengers apparently tried to block a boarding gate with rows of chairs, it said.
Police officers were activated to deal with the crush of people stranded at the airport as a result of the delays and cancellations.

This prompted airport authorities to upgrade the flight delay alert from orange to red - the highest in a four-tier system.

According a US survey, China's airports and airlines lead the world in flight delays.
Yesterday, over 100 flights were delayed and many passengers were left stranded at the Shenzhen airport.
Shenzhen is located above Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China.
Airport authorities and airlines arranged accommodation for 8,400 passengers stranded at the airport.