CHINA'S WORST WINTER IN OVER A DECADE

BBC: Snow hampers China New Year plans

Chinese authorities have ordered urgent measures to be put in place to fight nationwide transport chaos caused by severe weather conditions.

Ice and snowfall caused power cuts that left 100,000 people stranded at train stations in southern China on Sunday.

Forecasters predict the bad weather will continue for a week, causing travel misery in the run-up to the Lunar New Year holiday on 7 February.

Nearly 18 million people are due to visit relatives during the period.

'Battle against disaster'

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said the weather was threatening lives and disrupting supplies of fresh food, oil and gas ahead of the New Year, and he warned worse could come.

"Urgently mobilise and work as one to wage this tough battle against disaster"

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao

"Urgently mobilise and work as one to wage this tough battle against disaster," he told officials, according to a transcript on the official government website.

"Ensure that the people enjoy a joyful and auspicious Spring Festival."

Brutal conditions in recent days have collapsed homes, snapped power lines and destroyed crops across the country.

Parts of China have suffered their worst snowfalls in more than a decade.

• GLOBAL WARMING!?!?!?!
• PARTS OF EUROPE HAVE MORE SNOW NOW THAN IN THE LAST 56 YEARS.
  
• AGWMA.
• AL GORE: STFU.
  

*******UPDATE: 8 HOURS LATER AND GATEWAY JOINS THE FUN - WITH A GREAT POST WITH MORE LINKS AND FABULOUS PHOTOS OF CHINA'S WORST WINTER IN DECADES!