China sends in army to battle snow chaos: Report
30 Jan 2008, 0853 hrs IST,AFP
BEIJING: China has mobilised its army to help relief efforts following an intense cold front that has frozen the transport network and affected millions of people, state media reported on Wednesday.
At least 4,60,000 troops from the People's Liberation Army and paramilitary forces have been deployed across broad swathes of the country hit by weeks of heavy snow, a Chinese news agency said. "The People's Liberation Army has ordered its troops to go all out to help those battling the heavy snow in the southern part of the country," the China Daily added.
A million police officers have also been dispatched to maintain traffic flow on congested highways where traffic has come to a halt in many places due to icy roads, the reports said.
The heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures across China have left more than 50 dead, ravaged power supplies and hit millions of people trying to get home for the Lunar New Year festival, the nation's most important holiday.
A total of 78 million people have been affected in some way by the weather, which has covered large parts of central, southern and eastern China, according to media reports.
Premier Wen Jiabao travelled to hard-hit Hunan province on Tuesday to discuss relief efforts with local leaders.
But the China Daily warned that the effort was likely to be hampered due to the transport and communication chaos, especially with further snow, sleet and freezing temperatures forecast for the next few days.
"With much of the transport web disrupted, it will be difficult to have relief materials delivered where they are most needed," it said.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/China/China_sends_in_army_to_battle_snow_chaos_Report/articleshow/2742101.cms