Relief, rebuilding in wake of snow chaos

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Source: CCTV.com | 03-04-2008 19:26

The worst winter weather in half a century led to cut of power supplies, paralyzed transportation, buildings collapsed and destroyed farmland.

All the relief and rebuilding work required a huge amount of resources, coordination and determination. (CCTV.com)

All the relief and rebuilding work required a huge amount of resources, coordination and determination.

Now, let's take a look back at the days and nights in which government departments at all levels fought a head on battle to minimize the snow-related chaos.

Jan. 22.

Ten days into the snowy weather, alert levels were rising across the country.

Local governments evacuated and relocated homeless people and those in buildings at risk. Hundreds of thousands of items of clothes and quilts were sent to affected regions.

The worsening situation forced the State Council to take action as it issued its first warning of snow-related disasters.

Jan. 28.

The central meteorological administration pushed its alert level to red, the highest in terms of the severity of weather conditions.

The Ministry of Railways faced a tough job dispersing stranded passengers, who were struggling to make their way home for the annual Spring Festival holiday.

Similar difficulties disrupted traffic by road and air. A major expressway linking Beijing to Guangdong was closed and airports in at least ten cities suspended service.

Authorities made great efforts to ease the traffic congestion. These included mobilizing extra vehicles, setting up temporary shelters for stranded passengers, dispatching food and necessities and clearing the ice.

To make things worse, electricity transmission towers collapsed due to heavy snow. Technicians were sent to the worst hit regions to restore power supplies.