Icy highways stranded tens of thousands of travelers Friday as snow and unusually cold temperatures continued to grip large parts of central and eastern China.
Millions of other Chinese were without heat and hot water, as thick ice brought down power lines and transport disruptions aggravated chronic wintertime shortfalls of coal, which produces three-quarters of China's electricity supply.
In Guizhou province, 28 highways and expressways were closed because of ice, leaving 27,000 travelers stuck in just two cities alone, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
Thousands more were stranded in the neighboring Guangxi region, while most highways in neighboring Hunan province were closed.
The coldest, snowiest winter in decades has left millions of Chinese without heat and running water, causing mounting losses. Total damage from the prolonged cold temperatures and snow so far is estimated at 6.23 billion yuan (US$864 million; euro592.84 million), Xinhua reported.
The transport shutdowns come as millions of Chinese head home from cities for the Lunar New Year, China's biggest holiday for family gatherings, which this year falls on Feb. 8.
China's Transport Ministry on Friday ordered ports to temporarily stop loading coal for export as the country struggles to meet domestic needs amid the mounting power shortages.
The shortages were expected to continue, with forecasts predicting continued cold weather and more snowfall for many regions of central and southern China.
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