More than 9,000 passengers rushing home for the Spring Festival holiday were stranded at Shuangliu International Airport in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, as thick fog forced closure of the airport on Wednesday morning.

The airport was forced to close about 2:30 am on Wednesday, as thick fog reduced the visibility at runways to less than 30 meters, according to a statement released by the airport.

The fog would not disperse until 11 am, according to local meteorological authorities.

The airport closure will force delays of 720 flights, including arrivals and departures, China News Service reported.

The airport said it will provide water and breakfast to stranded passengers.