In Shanghai, buildings are collapsing, the transport system is on its knees and the local power company is running out of steam - such is the impact of the heaviest snows to hit this city in 17 years.
And the cold snap is not over yet.
Yesterday, the Shanghai meteorological bureau upgraded its icy roads alert to the second-highest possible and warned people to take extra care on treacherous streets.
It forecast the snow would abate overnight and but said today would remain cold.
So far, some 37 buildings have collapsed under the weight of the snow, with 20 people reported injured.
Local transport authorities have closed all highways connecting Shanghai and nearby cities and at least 2,000 buses have been cancelled. The Shanghai rail authority yesterday announced the cancellation of all long-distance trains scheduled to depart Shanghai before Thursday, leaving 30,000 people stranded.
Liang Xiaochun, a migrant worker who had hoped to return to her home in Anhui province for the New Year holiday said after a 10-hour wait she decided to get a refund on her ticket.
Railways official Sun Lei told China Daily: "We're not sure yet when normal operations will resume. But passengers can get refunds."
At Hongqiao and Pudong airports, 96 flights were either delayed or cancelled.
The freezing weather has also put huge pressure on the city's power supply.
According to the Metro Express, demand for electricity has exceeded the maximum output for the past several days and the remaining coal supplies will be fully depleted in three days.
A source with the power authority said it is in the process of sourcing more coal, which should arrive soon.
Slow go in Zhengzhou
Ge Tao is glad he flew to Zhengzhou on Saturday, as the city’s Xicheng Airport closed just 20 hours after he arrived, due to heavy snow.
The closure led to more than 80 flights being canceled.
Airport official Zheng Wenpeng said flights resumed at 9 am yesterday, to the delight of the 4,000 passengers who were stranded overnight.
He said a further suspension "might occur at any time".
As well as the airport being closed, trains between Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, and Guangzhou were canceled on Sunday.
Yesterday morning, 12,000 railway workers cleared snow from the tracks.
Railway official Wang Feng said once the tracks were cleared, 12 additional trains were put into service to clear the backlog.
As well as halting travelers, the weather has hit the local food supply. Dai Dafeng, a fruit and vegetable seller in Zhengzhou, said supplies had been running short for days.
"We normally have 200 to 300 trucks delivering fruit and vegetables every day, but in recent days I have seen only a dozen or so," she said.
Stranded in Guangzhou
Wang Wenqiang is just one of the millions of migrant workers hoping to return home for the holidays after working in Zhongshan, Guangdong province. The factory worker was hoping to return to his hometown in Sichuan province, but instead spent last night in a square outside Guangzhou railway station.
He was glad yesterday morning when the authorities arranged for people like him to get temporary lodging, food and water in the heated exhibition halls of the Chinese Import and Export Fair, opposite the railway station.
He will get a refund for his ticket and return to Zhongshan for the New Year.
Others, like Hong Wangzhen are determined to get home to Hunan.
"I've not been home for four years," she said.
Officials said more than 170,000 rail passengers had been stranded. Although some trains were running yesterday, the station has stopped selling tickets for all trains that depart through February 6.
The freezing weather has also disrupted Guangdong's air and coach services.
About 10,000 passengers were reportedly stranded at Guangzhou airport yesterday after 30 flights were cancelled. Also, some 50,000 vehicles were stranded on the Shaoguan section of the Beijing-Zhuhai expressway due to heavy snow.
No flights in Nanjing
In Nanjing, Jiangsu province, all flights to and from Lukou International Airport were cancelled, the first time that has happened due to heavy snow.
Wang Pei, head of the airport's service division, said: "Although the blower trucks were working continuously to try and clear the runway, their efforts were in vain because the snow fell almost nonstop."
It was a similar situation at the coach station where 3,000 passengers were left with nothing to do but wait due to widespread road closures.
"I have been waiting for three days, but still don't know when I can leave," Jiang Haiping, a migrant worker from Chongqing, said.
The slippery roads have also been a safety hazard.
Wang Lijun, a doctor at Nanjing Gulou Hospital, said: "We have had 30 patients today, most of them with broken legs and arms from falling on the ice."
（英语点津 Celene 编辑）
About the broadcaster:
Bernice Chan is a foreign expert at China Daily Website. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Bernice has written for newspapers and magazines in Hong Kong and most recently worked as a broadcaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, producing current affairs shows and documentaries.
