Adverse Weather Conditions Disrupt Spring Festival Plans for Travellers in China: Freezing Rain and Snow Cause Travel Woes

During the holiday travel rush leading up to the Spring Festival, central and eastern China are grappling with severe weather conditions, including freezing rain and snow, which have caused major disruptions in transportation. This comes as billions of people travel home to celebrate the Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese Lunar New Year, amidst the blistering cold weather that has swept through various parts of the country over the past week.

The provinces of Hunan and Hubei have particularly felt the impact of this severe weather, with conditions worsening over the weekend. The freezing rain and snow have resulted in significantly slowed highway traffic and the cancellation of hundreds of train services.

These travel disruptions coincide with what is known as the world’s largest mass travel migration, as millions of individuals journey home to reunite with their families for the Chinese New Year festivities. Videos circulating on Chinese social media platforms depict scenes of people stranded on trains and trapped in cars along snowy highways, with reports even indicating instances where individuals were stuck for multiple days in their vehicles or on trains due to the extreme weather conditions.

Reports have emerged of one driver being trapped in their car for three days, while another passenger found themselves stranded on a train after it lost power supply amidst freezing temperatures. Additionally, hundreds of trains have experienced delays or suspensions, leading to throngs of passengers being stranded at railway stations, particularly in Wuhan. Runways at Tianhe Airport in Wuhan were temporarily closed due to the adverse weather conditions.

The severity of the weather is evident in photos released by the China Meteorological Administration, showing bent and broken trees scattered across roads in Hunan, a result of the freezing rain. In response to the weather-related challenges, authorities in affected provinces have implemented various measures. For instance, Hubei province has undertaken efforts to clear tunnels and bridges where thick ice has caused choke points, while also instructing highway toll stations to implement traffic control measures, including allowing vehicles to pass through toll stations for free.

Unfortunately, the severe weather has already resulted in casualties, with reports indicating that two individuals lost their lives in snow-related accidents. One person in Hubei and another in Hunan were killed when awnings in farmers markets collapsed under the weight of heavy snow.

Looking ahead, the Central Meteorological Observatory of China has forecasted continued rain, snow, and freezing weather in the southern regions for the first half of the week. However, conditions are expected to gradually improve starting from Thursday onwards.

Overall, the severe weather conditions gripping central and eastern China have posed significant challenges to holiday travelers, disrupting transportation networks and impacting daily life in the affected regions.