URUMQI -- Rescuers have evacuated 244 motorists and passengers trapped in a blizzard in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

The people were stranded by snow drifts and low visibility on highways in Maytas in northern Xinjiang on Friday and Saturday, according to a local highway official.

All the passengers were rescued by early Saturday morning and their vehicles made safe.

Maytas is known for gales and blizzards, which often leave passengers stranded and force the closure of local highways.