Southern China tested by record cold temps (2)

Maintaining power is also a concern, as regions that rely on hydroelectric sources may be prone to electricity shortages during periods of icy weather, experts have warned.

An official from a State Grid branch in Hunan Province said 113 power lines have frozen in the province thus far.

In southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, over 166,600 people have been affected by the freezing disaster, according to the regional civil affairs bureau.

Freezing rain and snowfalls have also affected about 18,500 hectares of overwintering farmland in Guangxi.

That province's direct economic losses to the cold weather are estimated to be over 83.9 million yuan (about 13.48 million U.S. dollars), mostly coming in agricultural fields.

In neighboring Guizhou Province, over 230,000 people have also been affected by lingering cold weather since last December.