Southern China Hit by Snow, 20,000 Vehicles StrandedFeb. 18 (Bloomberg) -- Snow and freezing weather in China's southwestern province of Yunnan stranded 20,000 vehicles on highways, almost two weeks after the worst storms in 50 years cut power supplies and transport links to millions of people.
Authorities in Yunnan sent food and water to drivers and passengers and transferred some to government shelters or the homes of people who live along the highways, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
The province, like others in the south, was starting to recover after the worst snowstorms since 1954 cut power and water supplies and paralyzed transport links. Parts of southern China may have more snow and sleet over the next three days, the China Meteorological Administration said today on its Web site.
Homes Destroyed
More than 354,000 homes collapsed and 1.4 million were damaged during three weeks of snowstorms in China's southern provinces of Guangdong, Hunan, Guizhou and Jiangxi, where sub- zero temperatures are rare.
China mobilizes 729,000 troops to combat snow disastersBEIJING, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- The People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China had deployed 729,000 soldiers by 6:00 p.m. Thursday to combat the month-long winter storms in the southern parts of the country, a military source said.
About 1.96 million militia and army reservists were participating in the disaster relief effort, the PLA's emergency response group told Xinhua. The PLA currently has 2.3 million troops.
Unusual tactics, including shooting power lines with submachine guns to shatter the ice, and using tanks to crush ice on roads, were often used by soldiers.
(Xinhua Photo)