Steps to dispel cold wave risk as travel surges
AUTHORITIES across China have launched emergency response measures to guarantee the operation of transportation and ensure people’s uninterrupted lives in response to the latest cold wave and snow.
Yesterday morning, China’s National Meteorological Center renewed an orange alert for snow storms, the second-most severe level in its four-tier color-coded weather warning system, in some regions of the country.
From yesterday morning to this morning, heavy snow will hit parts of Henan Province in central China, and Anhui, Jiangsu and Shandong provinces in eastern China. Also, freezing rain will hit parts of southwestern Guizhou Province, central Hunan and Hubei provinces, and eastern Jiangxi Province.
Henan maintained its yellow alert for blizzards in the morning, with expectations of heavy snowfall in the cities of Zhoukou, Zhumadian, Nanyang and Xinyang.
In Xuchang City, local traffic police authorities have intensified nighttime road inspections. They also provided essential supplies to drivers and passengers stranded in service areas and arranged the continuous operation of ice-melting and snow-removal vehicles.
Heavy snowfall hit parts of northern Shanxi Province on Friday, causing snow and ice to accumulate on several highways. More than a dozen highways had to be temporarily closed. The province is expected to experience ongoing snowfall until today.
In Anhui, over 95 highway toll stations had refused entry to vehicles as of yesterday morning, due to freezing conditions, causing inconvenience for many travelers during the travel surge, which started on January 26 and will end on March 5.
Hubei also experienced snowfall due to the cold wave. In Shiyan City, certain sections of some uphill roads became icy, causing vehicles to skid. Traffic police promptly intervened and pushed the vehicles out of the slippery road.
According to the Hubei Airports Group Co, both runways at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport were closed from Saturday evening due to adverse weather conditions. The airport initiated an emergency response for snow and ice removal.
China Railway Wuhan Bureau Group Co Ltd said yesterday it plans to suspend the operation of 141 round trips due to the weather.
In neighboring Hunan, the railway authority imposed speed restrictions on the Chongqing-Xiamen and Zhangjiajie-Jishou-Huaihua high-speed railways, leading to delays for some trains.
(Agencies)