SHENYANG, March 4 (Xinhua) -- The strongest March snowstorm to hit northeast China's Liaoning Province in 56 years has left at least one person dead and seven injured after the roof of an agricultural trade building collapsed under the weight of the snow, local sources said.

    Three arched ceilings of the Minglian Agricultural Trade Building in Huanggu District, in the provincial capital of Shenyang, collapsed at noon on Sunday, burying about 20 stall owners and customers, said a witness.

    Rescuers are still searching for survivors under the debris.

    Hospital sources said most of the injured suffered bone fractures.

    Beginning Saturday night, rain and snow has fallen continually in most parts of Liaoning province, with reported precipitations of 36 millimeters in Shenyang, 56 mm in Dalian and 68 mm in Dandong, according to the Shenyang Meteorological Observatory.

    Snow piled up two meters high in some areas, it said.

    The snowstorm forced Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang to close at 8 a.m. Sunday.

    By 4 p.m., more than 100 flights had been cancelled and over 1,000 passengers were stranded at the airport, which was hoping to reopen on Monday.

    Eleven expressways in Liaoning were all shut down.

    Classes were suspended on Monday for 900,000 primary and middle school students in Shenyang.

    More moderate rain and snow hit most parts of north China on Saturday and Sunday, disrupting air and highway travel in these areas.

    At Beijing Capital International Airport, more than 200 flights were delayed by 1 p.m. Sunday due to snowfall, airport sources said. Strong winds were forecast in Beijing Sunday evening.

    Binhai International Airport in Tianjin was closed at 7 a.m. Sunday and more than 20 flights have been delayed, according to airport sources.

    Expressways through the city were also shut down. The city reported 25 to 32 millimeters of rain and snow by Sunday morning.

    The central meteorological observatory is forecasting rain for most parts of north China over the next two days.

    Meteorologists said the rain and snow, the heaviest this winter,would help alleviate a severe drought which has plagued many parts of north China in the past few months.