Portions of the Great Wall in the province suffered severe damage because of heavy rain and flooding over the past two months, Xinhua reports. The worst-affected parts were in Zhangjiakou , where a 36 metre long section from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) collapsed and posed a threat to the nearby arched Dajing Gate - one of the wall's largest gates. Similar damage occurred in areas such as Laiyuan and Yi counties. Provincial relic-protection authorities said the actual damage may be greater than has been established.
Northern parts of the province such as Zhangjiakou and Chengde will likely be hit with a cold snap next week, according to official weather forecasts, Xinhua reports. The temperature is expected to dip as low as minus 2 degrees Celsius by Wednesday, threatening to freeze crops that weren't already killed by similar cold last month.