BEIJING, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's local traffic departments have been urged to step up maintenance efforts to ensure major roads are safe and clear in the face of a snowy weather and the upcoming Spring Festival travel rush.

Ice storms snarl road traffic in Tongren city, Guizhou province, Jan. 8, 2009. Heavy snow returned over the past two days to large parts of central and southern China which were hit by killer snow storms last year. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Freezing rains and snow over the past few days have blocked some roads in the south, the traffic administration bureau under the Ministry of Public Security said here Thursday.

    Local offices in affected areas are urged to immediately activate emergency response plans and deploy all staff onto the expressways and major state and provincial highways to ensure they're passable.

    Officers should beef up patrol and traffic dispersion, prevent vehicle collisions and long-time congestion, and coordinate with highway managers to help remove the snow or ice.

Ice storms snarls road traffic in Tongren city, Guizhou province in China, Jan.8, 2009. Heavy snow has returned to large parts of central and southern China, which were hit by killer storms last year, over the past two days.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    They are advised to update weather information to the public through radios, TVs, the Internet and mobile phone short messages, and inform drivers of road conditions at toll stations.

    Early last year, an unusual month-long snow and ice disaster in the southern parts of China paralyzed many roads and railways, stranding millions of travelers heading for a family reunion during the Spring Festival or Chinese Lunar New Year.

    The festival falls on Jan. 26 this year.

Snow back in central and southern China

    BEIJING, Jan. 8 -- Heavy snow has returned to large parts of central and southern China, which were hit by killer storms last year, over the past two days.

    Beijing's National Meteorological Center said snow and freezing rain had been reported in many parts of Hunan, Hubei, Henan, Anhui and Guizhou provinces, and Chongqing municipality. Full story

Ice, snow storm disrupts traffic, holiday travel plans in China

    CHANGSHA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Chinese provinces most affected in last year's snow disaster are on high alert again as an ice storm snarled traffic, posing threats to the coming Spring Festival travel peak which starts in four days.

    The central Hunan Province issued its first sleet warning of the winter on Tuesday as a storm hit 34 cities and counties, dumping several centimeters of snow. Cars were barely moving in downtown Changsha, the capital city. Full story