Snowstorm in China disrupts traffic, millions at risk of being stranded

Heavy snowfall has blanketed parts of central and eastern China since mid-week, leading to traffic disruptions in Hubei, Hunan and Anhui provinces amid the peak Lunar New Year travel season, according to Xinhua.

In eastern China's Anhui Province, more than 95 highway toll stations were refusing to accept vehicles as of the morning of February 4 due to snowfall and ice, causing inconvenience to many travelers during the "spring tourism" travel rush, which began on January 26 and will end on March 5.

Chinese railway workers clear snow. (Photo: Xinhua)

Meanwhile, according to Hubei Airport Group, both runways at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport have been closed since the evening of February 3 due to adverse weather conditions. The airports began emergency response including snow and ice removal early on the morning of February 3, with runway operations expected to resume on February 4. In addition, the airport in the province's Jingzhou city has also been closed since February 3.

China Railway Wuhan Group Co., Ltd. said on February 4 that it plans to suspend 141 round-trip trains due to widespread snowfall and freezing weather.

Meanwhile, the Chinese railway industry deployed nearly 3,000 snow removal workers at nearly 4,000 railway sections to ensure smooth rail operations.

In neighboring Hunan Province, railway authorities imposed speed restrictions on the Chongqing-Xiamen and Zhangjiajie-Jishu-Huaihua high-speed railway lines, causing some delays. From February 4 to 5, China Railway Guangzhou Group Co., Ltd. suspended 20 high-speed train routes through the province.

According to Bloomberg, the China Meteorological Administration issued an orange snowstorm alert, with seven central and eastern provinces facing cold weather this weekend. According to forecasts, Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing and Anhui regions are expected to be the hardest hit.

China Central Television reported, citing data from the China State Railway Corporation, that about 13 million passengers were expected to travel by rail on February 3 alone. The state television quoted the Ministry of Transport as saying that as of noon on February 3, a total of 56 highways in nine provinces had been partially closed due to snow and ice.

According to the Shanghai railway bureau, the city suspended 39 high-speed trains on February 3 and 4.

Widespread extreme rain and snow during China's peak spring travel season has also sparked discussions about whether similar events to those in southern China in 2008 could occur.

At that time, an extremely rare and severe weather phenomenon characterized by low temperatures, rain, snow and ice spanning a wide area in China left more than 5.8 million passengers stranded at stations across the country.

Phuong Anh (Source: Xinhua, Bloomberg)

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