By SPA
Beijing : Unusually heavy snowfall in central China has been blamed for at least 10 deaths and has stranded hundreds of thousands of people ahead of the peak Lunar New Year travel season, state media said Monday.
Frigid temperatures caused pipes to burst, leading to water shortages for thousands of residents, the Xinhua News Agency and newspapers reported.
Heavy snow accumulation damaged thousands of homes, and at least one person was crushed to death when a roof collapsed at a gas station, the reports said. Xinhua said nine others died, but gave no details.
Snow closed highways and forced the cancellation of scores of flights in the provinces of Hubei, Henan, Shandong, Jiangsu and Anhui, where snow in some areas was the heaviest in 17 years.
The snow stranded thousands of travelers as they began journeys home for the Lunar New Year, China’s most popular time for family gatherings. This year’s holiday starts Feb.
7 on the Western calendar, but many started traveling weeks earlier to avoid massive crowds that pack trains and buses.