306,000 Chinese PLA soldiers mobilized to combat snow disasters
Exhausted soldiers sleep on an escalator at the railway station in Guangzhou, the capital city of south China's Guangdong Province
Two soldiers carry a sick girl to a medical aid post in Guangzhou, the capital city of south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhuanet Photo)
BEIJING, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has deployed 306,000 soldiers to combat the disasters caused by the rare heavy snow in the southern part of the country by 12 p.m. on Friday, according to a military source.
Around 1.07 million militia and army reservists were participating in the fight against the extreme weather, Xinhua learned from the PLA's emergency response group.
Previous reports show that more than 100 aircraft and helicopters are ready to operate if necessary, air force sources said.
The snow, the heaviest in decades in many places, has been falling in China's eastern, central and southern regions for more than a fortnight. It has caused death, structural collapse, blackouts, accidents, transport problems and livestock and crop destruction.
The PLA currently has 2.3 million troops.
Friend, I posted this this morning in the Weekend Pic thread..I know I read somewhaere that it was a total of 1.4 million milita/police moblized.
GUANGZHOU, CHINA - FEBRUARY 2: Police/military men keeps order beside passengers stranded due to heavy snow in the Guangzhou Railway Station on February 2, 2008 in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province, China. Many ill & injured passengers were rescued by these men from the chaos that has insued.
China has mobolized over 1.4 million military/malita and police to assist in the snowstorm chaos.
The worst prolonged snow, rain and cold weather period in a decade has hit about 17 provincial level regions in China, responsible for the death of at least 38 people and causing direct economic losses of over 32.67 billion yuan (about US$4.5 billion) so far. The snow has caused havoc paralyzing air, rail and highway traffic and stranding tens of thousands of passengers on their way home for the Spring Festival. (Photo by Feng Li/***** Images)
Last pic, if you guys are interested in, I will post more
And I posted this this afternoon...
Chaos at a train station in China! In my opinion the Chinese military/police are doing the very best they can to stem the situation. Only two deaths reported so far.
GUANGZHOU, CHINA - FEBRUARY 03: An officer advises passengers stranded due to heavy snow in the Guangzhou Railway Station on February 3, 2008 in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province, China
Passengers rush through a police cordon at the railway station in China's southern city of Guangzhou, 03 February 2008. Millions of Chinese workers battled for a precious train ticket home as authorities struggled to keep order in Guangzhou following a stampede for seats that left a woman trampled to death. AFP PHOTO/LIU Jin (Photo credit should read LIU JIN/AFP/***** Images)
GUANGZHOU, CHINA - FEBRUARY 3: A policeman working for a long time stretches at the Guangzhou Railway Station on February 3, 2008 in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province, China.
GUANGZHOU, CHINA - FEBRUARY 3: Policemen keep order among passengers stranded due to heavy snow in the Guangzhou Railway Station on February 3, 2008 in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province, China.
GUANGZHOU, CHINA - FEBRUARY 03: Military & Policemen carry women who fainted to an ambulance while passengers are stranded due to heavy snow in the Guangzhou Railway Station February 3, 2008 in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province, China
GUANGZHOU, CHINA - FEBRUARY 3: An angry passenger yells at the armed police among passengers stranded due to heavy snow in the Guangzhou Railway Station on February 3, 2008 in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province, China
A Chinese paramilitary soldier takes a break after joining colleagues in crowd control at the railway station in China's southern city of Guangzhou, 03 February 2008. Millions of Chinese workers battled for a precious train ticket home as authorities struggled to keep order here following a stampede for seats that left a woman trampled to death. AFP PHOTO/LIU Jin (Photo credit should read LIU JIN/AFP/***** Images)
Chinese paramilitary soldiers try to help people who have fallen as passengers rush for their trains at a railway station, in China's southern city of Guangzhou, 03 February 2008.
Chinese paramilitary soldiers and a policeman (R) carry a woman who was trampled on from a crowd of passengers rushing at the railway station in China's southern city of Guangzhou, 03 February 2008.
lenovo, Great pics!Please post more if you have access to them.
The most dangerous senario, 6 women got pushed down to ground when about 1 million passengers waiting in Guangzhou train station at that time, several PLA soldiers tried to rescure them
PLA doctors, free treatment and medicine are provided
Since the ice rain and snow storm has been last for more than 20 days, the hard ice has to be cleared manually
My sister, mom, aunt and uncle are heading to Guanzghou tomorrow...right now they are in HK. I'll see if I can get some pics from them.
Give these guys some damn gloves. Those other guys shoveling the snow are going have a badass backache the next day.
Thanks bd popeye, your pics are great too. I will try to find more if possible.
Originally Posted by bd popeye
lenovo, Great pics!
No worry, Guangzhou's weather is fine, the bad weather occured in central China so that all trains to the central and north China have been delayed or cancelled.
Yeah, you are right. Actually most Chinese netizens also noticed this issue. I am pretty sure they all have gloves, maybe they just lost the gloves or chose not to wear them.
My sister, mom, aunt and uncle are heading to Guanzghou tomorrow...right now they are in HK. I'll see if I can get some pics from them.
Give these guys some damn gloves. Those other guys shoveling the snow are going have a badass backache the next day.
lots of guys without gloves. ouch!
I don't know the size of the affected area, but 300,000 troops? What is the size compared to Iraq?
Good question. I just checked it for you..
Affected population: more than 78 million
Affected area: See the map below, 9 provinces (about 40% of China) are affected, i am not sure how many times it is bigger than iraq
Hordes of stranded people have been forced to spend the night in the open in sub-zero temperatures at Guangzhou station.
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