The Auspice of the Year of Rat? -- Millions of Chinese still without
power/IHT

International Herald Tribune

Millions of Chinese still without power

Reuters

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

TONGREN, China: Millions of Chinese began the biggest holiday of the
year without power Wednesday after more than a week of fierce winter
weather, but tens of thousands of stranded passengers had finally found
trains, buses and planes by which to get home for family reunions.

Scores had died in snow-related accidents in days before the Lunar New
Year break, one of the greatest annual migrations of humanity, with the
traditional travel chaos compounded by the coldest winter in 100 years
across vast swaths of the south, center and east.

Skies were clearer across most of the country Wednesday, and a three-day
rain and snow "severe alert" was lifted for the worst-affected areas.
Temperatures had risen to well above freezing in the south.