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July 9, 2008 4:54:22 AM CDT

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Freeze of Century Grips China

Posted Feb 4, 08 4:56 AM CST in World    Most Covered

(Newser) – First it was the snow, now it's the cold wreaking continued havoc in China, leaving millions stranded and millions more without power in the coldest winter in a century. President Hu Jintao chaired an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss rescue efforts in the nation where scores have died, as desperate migrant workers struggled in vain to return home to their families in time for the Lunar New Year.

"We have to be clear-minded that the inclement weather and severe disaster will continue to plague certain regions in the south," said a statement after the meeting. Disturbing videos of thousands stranded, freezing and hungry, at rail terminals have raised questions about the government's ability to handle emergencies just months before the Beijing Olympics.

Source Reuters

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A snow covered street is seen in Hangzhou, in east China's Zhejiang province Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008. Heavy fog fell over parts of central China on Sunday, further clogging a transport system already paralyzed...   (Associated Press)
In this photo released by China's Xinhua news agency, paramilitary soldiers remove fallen snow on a bridge in Shaoxing, east China's Zhejiang Province, Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008. The crisis "remains grim"...   (Associated Press)
A man cleans a chair to sit near a propaganda banner of the Beijing Olympics at a snow covered park Monday Feb. 4, 2008 in Nanjing, China. China's main north-south national freeway reopened Monday after...   (Associated Press)
In this photo released by China's Xinhua news agency, armored cars are seen helping to clean snow and ice on an expressway Linking Beijing and Zhuhai near Chenzhou, central China's Hunan Province, Sunday,...   (Associated Press)
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China  • Beijing  • Olympic Games  • Hu Jintao  • Shanghai  • winter storms  • Guangzhou


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