Blizzards and freezing rain have caused extensive disruption to China’s peak Lunar New Year travel rush, resulting in drivers being stranded in cars on icy highways and passengers struggling to reschedule canceled trains and flights.
The severe winter weather coincides with Chinese travelers embarking on an estimated record 9 billion trips during the densely crowded 40-day “chunyun” period. During this time, millions of urban workers endure congested stations and massive traffic jams to return to their hometowns for the Spring Festival celebrations.
As of Tuesday morning, sections of 90 major highways across China have been closed due to snow and ice, as reported by state-affiliated Beijing News. In hard-hit Hubei and neighboring Anhui provinces, where temperatures have plunged below freezing in recent days, thousands of workers have been mobilized to restore train operations and clear roads, according to state media.
Numerous videos and images circulating online depict long lines of snowbound cars immobilized on highways. Additionally, there are scenes of stranded passengers congregating in train stations, accompanied by announcements declaring, “No trains are departing today. Please proceed to obtain your refund.”
In central China, traffic has come to a standstill with dozens of highways closed across Hubei and hundreds of flights canceled at the transit hub Wuhan over the weekend. More adverse weather conditions are anticipated in the greater region in the days ahead.
This holiday season marks the first time in several years that many across China have had the opportunity to travel freely to celebrate with friends and family. This follows the lifting of stringent Covid-19 controls that had severely limited movement since 2020. Last year’s holiday occurred shortly after the relaxation of those measures, only to coincide with a surge of infections across the country, complicating travel arrangements.
Despite severe weather warnings from authorities, many individuals are undeterred from traveling to their hometowns to celebrate the Year of the Dragon, commencing on February 10.
One such individual determined to reunite with loved ones is Tang Zitao, a used car dealer from Hubei. He found himself trapped in his vehicle overnight while en route.
In an interview with CNN on Monday, Tang expressed that what typically is a six-hour journey has already extended to 24 hours due to heavy snowfall.
“This journey has felt excessively prolonged, truly a form of torment,” remarked Tang, who was wrapped in a down jacket. Unlike some others stranded alongside him, he came well-prepared with provisions of food and water.
Tang scrolled through his camera, revealing images of snowdrifts lining the road and an extensive line of vehicles stuck in traffic. “The snowfall started two days ago. While some of it melted briefly, it quickly refroze, leaving the road damp and treacherously slick,” he explained.
Tang maintained a positive outlook, emphasizing the enduring importance of returning home for the Spring Festival, a cherished Chinese tradition, regardless of the challenges. He shared with CNN in an update that he reached his destination at 2 a.m. on Tuesday.
Amid the icy roads, numerous videos circulating on social media depict individuals moving between cars or establishing makeshift roadside stations to provide essentials to stranded drivers. Some are seen passing bottles of warm water over highway fences.
A woman distributing porridge to stranded travelers alongside a highway clarified that the provisions were not for sale; they were being offered free of charge.
State media reported that while railway services in Wuhan began to resume on Monday, 100 highway toll stations in the surrounding Hubei region continued to enforce traffic control measures due to icy roads.
The weather forecast indicates limited relief, with another wave of precipitation expected through midweek, slightly south of the previous snowfall over the weekend, as reported by CNN Weather.
On Tuesday, China’s meteorological authorities issued a warning for additional heavy snowfall in portions of Hubei and regions in central and southern China, extending until Wednesday afternoon.
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