Snow Storms Also Wreck Havoc in China as Holiday Fast Approaches

A story that should hit home, a major snow storm has hit China's lower provinces stranding many workers in train stations, and keeping them from returning home for the lunar holiday week. Also, canceled where as many as 3,000 flights leaving people frustrated and angry. Desert regions of China have seen snow in the first time in recorded history according to local meteorologists. To help quicken the clearing of streets China has authorized the use of hundreds of thousands of soldiers to aid in clearing the snow blocked roads, the biggest expenditure of emergency manpower for China since it battled flooding. It may not be out of the woods yet, more snow is suspected to fall, and crops have been severely affected by the cold, which has set about the release of emergency food stores by the government. President Hu Jintao has stated on the Reform Commission's site,"[China's] top priority is to unclog transportation and to restore the power supply,''. Trees brought down by the snow may help set forest fires when warmer temperatures return. Fire prevention plans are currently being worked out on a city to city basis. Some 60 deaths have so far been attributed to the in-climate weather. The worst of it seems however to be over after causing an estimated 7.5 billion dollars in economic damages.

Sources:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=awcjGdfd9zTQ&refer=home
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/02/content_7547623.htm
http://en.rian.ru/world/20080201/98198463.html
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-02/01/content_7545766.htm
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSSHA16887620080131