Breaking News – During the New Years millions are victims of snowstorm power blackout
17 provinces in China have been hit by snowstorms. With many power stations being snow-crushed, electricity and water have been severed for days in many regions. So far, eleven technicians have died from electrocution when repairing the power grid day and night.
An official from China Electric Power Supervision Committee said on 5th February that although the repair work is in progress, it is estimated that millions of people residing in 20% of disaster-stricken township areas are feared to be spending New Year’s Eve in the dark.
According to figures provided by the Electric Power Supervision Committee, the electricity supply affected a total of 170 counties and cities due to ice and snow caused disasters. Now, electricity and water have been restored or partly recovered in 131 townships, and a resumption of repairs to 39 areas are being organizing with some remote areas remaining in a grim power situation. This means that 20 percent of the disaster areas in the townships during the New Year will still be blacked out.
Chenzhou City in Hunan Province is the worst hit region with power outage for more than 10 days. People cannot watch television and their cell phones cannot be charged. Even the radio signal is weak. 400 million-plus people all carry water from wells for over 10 days, which has become their daily routine, and candles become a necessity at night. People in the disaster areas are longing for lights. However, whether their wish can be realized remains uncertain.
The above news is brought to you by Ming Wei, and hosted by Chris Thomas for Breaking News on the SOH Radio Network.
February 7th, 2008
I really like SOH, I read or listen daily. Today I notice an error you might want to correct — in the story about electricity out in Chenzhou, it read “…400 million-plus people all carry water from wells for over 10 days,… Perhaps it should read 4 million??
Thanks for the good work!
Carol Wickenkamp