Southern China experiences freezing temperatures, prompting emergency response

An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 22, 2024 shows vehicles running on the road in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province. Changsha saw its first snowfall of 2024 from Sunday night to Monday morning (Photo: Xinhua)

Multiple regions in southern China have witnessed snowfall and freezing temperatures recently, and heavy snowfall in central China’s Hunan Province has affected more than 10,000 people, according to Weather China on Wednesday. Local authorities have taken proactive measures to ensure people’s safety.

From Monday to Tuesday, most areas of Hunan experienced snowfall, with 13 areas experiencing heavy snowfall. The maximum snow depth reached 29 centimeters in Xinhua County, equal to the local record, according to Hunan authorities on Tuesday.

Tang Xichun from the office of the emergency command headquarters for low temperature rain, snow, and ice in Hunan Province said that the current province-wide heavy snowfall has caused varying degrees of damage affecting more than 10,000 people in the province, with 4,800 hectares of crops affected. However, the severity and impact will not be as serious as in 2008, Tang said, according to media reports.

The level-IV emergency response in Changsha, Hunan Province was lifted at 5 pm on Wednesday.

Multiple regions have initiated measures to cope with the potential risks brought by the cold weather. In east China’s Zhejiang Province, local departments have taken simulation exercises, to prepare to deal with extensive heavy snowfall, significant temperature decreases, and high winds.

East China’s Jiangxi Province also lifted the level-IV emergency response, but required the relevant departments to implement the necessary measures. In the city of Nanchang, Jiangxi, local departments carried out snow removal and ice clearing operations on Monday night, the Jiangxi authorities said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, different crops in different regions are being protected with appropriate measures to ensure a safe winter, experts have noted.

Farmers in southern provinces such as Hunan and Jiangxi should pay close attention to weather warning information, including the location, range, and duration of the cold temperatures. If there is a long period of low temperatures below -3 C, they should promptly harvest vegetables grown in open fields and ripe fruit, and take necessary measures to protect fruit tree seedlings, aquaculture, livestock, and poultry, according to an article published by the China Meteorological Administration on Wednesday.