Icy Yellow River in north China begins to thaw after warm spell

The Hukou waterfalls section of the Yellow River located in north China's Shanxi Province began to thaw on Thursday as a warm spell caused the ice to disintegrate earlier than in previous years.

Ice-covered China's second-largest river from its upper reaches since early December, but warm weather is expected to have the whole section thaw by the middle of March.

Viewing areas along the Yellow River will remain closed for some time for safety reasons, as some regions are still covered with snow and ice.