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Lights Coming Back in China

Respite from severe weather allows progress toward normalcy

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Feb 6, 2008 11:40 AM CST
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(Newser) – After more than a week of darkness, power is finally coming back on in China—mostly. With Lunar New Year celebrations getting under way, power has at least partially returned in 169 of the 170 counties blacked out by fierce winter weather, Reuters reports. But some residents are skeptical. “It’s pitch black here,” said one resident of a supposedly restored city.

“A small number of places have electricity,” confirmed another resident. Power wasn’t back in the Guizhou mountains, either. “I guess we’ll have to have the celebrations in darkness,” said one resident of a tiny town there. “We can’t afford candles.” With or without power, the holiday looks bleak for many Chinese, who can’t travel home, and aren’t prepared for the cold.

In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, soldiers climb the Jinggang Mountains in east China's Jiangxi Province on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008 as they are mobilized to fix power transmission lines damaged by heavy snow storms. The loss of power brought electric trains to a standstill, stranding more...
In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, soldiers climb the Jinggang Mountains in east China's Jiangxi Province on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008 as they are mobilized to fix power transmission lines...   (Associated Press)
An electrical tower damaged by heavy snowfall is seen in Chenzhou in China's southern Hunan province Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008. Workers rushed to restore power Tuesday to regions of China hard-hit by snow and ice storms, in a struggle that state media said has already cost the lives of 11...
An electrical tower damaged by heavy snowfall is seen in Chenzhou in China's southern Hunan province Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008. Workers rushed to restore power Tuesday to regions of China hard-hit by snow...   (Associated Press)
Residents queue up to get water from a fire hydrant in Guiyang in China's southern Guizhou province Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008. More than 4 million people remained without power Wednesday in storm-battered central China, as families nationwide began gathering for the biggest holiday of the year. (AP Photo/EyePress)
Residents queue up to get water from a fire hydrant in Guiyang in China's southern Guizhou province Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008. More than 4 million people remained without power Wednesday in storm-battered...   (Associated Press)
Pedestrians pass an electrical tower damaged by heavy snowfall in Pingshi, in southern China's Guangdong province, more than 300 km (186 miles) north of Guangzhou, China, Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008. Workers rushed to restore power Tuesday to regions of China hard-hit by snow and ice storms, in a struggle that...
Pedestrians pass an electrical tower damaged by heavy snowfall in Pingshi, in southern China's Guangdong province, more than 300 km (186 miles) north of Guangzhou, China, Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008. Workers...   (Associated Press)
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Related links

Hardly an auspicious start to Year of the Rat
Asia Times

Investors look for feng shui tips in new year
Reuters

 
China • winter storms • lunar new year • Year of the Rat • Guizhou mountains

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