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China: CMA started up Level Four emergency response for freezing disasters

In order to cope with a fresh round of freezing rain and icy weather in southwestern China, China Meteorological Administration (CMA) started up Level Four emergency response for meteorological disasters at 4:00 p.m. today.

In this morning, the Central Meteorological Office continued to issue the Yellow alert for icy and freezing weather. According to the forecast, the icy weather in most parts of Guizhou, western and southern Hunan, northeastern Guangxi and southeastern Chongqing will persist. Freezing rain is likely to hit parts of central and northern Guizhou and western Hunan.

To do a better job of coping with the icing weather, Jiao Meiyan, Deputy Administrator of CMA, singed the command to start up Level Four emergency response for major meteorological disasters. The command requires the following units and institutes into Level Four emergency response state: the Emergency Response Office of CMA, Department of Emergency Response, Disaster Mitigation and Public Services, Department of Forecasting and Information System, Department of Integrated Observations, National Meteorological Center, National Satellite Meteorological Center, National Meteorological Information Center, National Climate Center, Meteorological Observation Center of CMA, CMA Public Weather Service Center, China Meteorological News Press, Huafeng Group and the provincial meteorological bureaus of Guizhou, Hunan, and Guangxi.

Freezing rains that swept south China's Guizhou Province, Hunan Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have caused road surfaces to ice up in parts of the Lanhai and Hukun Expressways.

Vehicles halt on a highway due to icy roads in Huaihua, central China's Hunan Province, Jan. 3, 2010. Vehicles were stranded at a highway in Huaihua as cold weather and icy roads blocked the traffic. Local government in Hunan enacted emergency procedures aiming to resume road traffic as soon. (Xinhua/Long Hongtao)

Reporter Wu Yue

Editor Zhang Yong