Traffic on a major highway linking Tibet and neighboring Sichuan Province returned to normal on Saturday after rescuers worked non-stop to clear snow from the road.

Since last weekend, heavy snowfall hit the Tibet Autonomous Region, trapping vehicles and residents on the Tibetan section of the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, according to a statement from traffic authorities in Nyingchi Prefecture.

On the Haitonggou-Ranwugou section of the highway, an average of 30 centimeters of snow blanketed nearly 200 kilometers (124 miles) as of Friday.

Local authorities dispatched 128 people and 22 rescue vehicles to the site for de-icing and rescue. The team extracted seven vehicles and 22 people trapped on the snowy road.

Traffic control was lifted on Saturday afternoon. However, drivers who plan on taking the route have been advised to exercise caution.