Local people gather at Wuling Square in Chenzhou of central China's Hunan Province on Monday, February 25, 2008 to see off the troops dispatched to the city for ice disaster relief. [Photo: Xinhuanet.com]

Thousands of local residents gathered at Wuling Square in Chenzhou of central China's Hunan Province on Monday to see off the troops dispatched to the city for ice disaster relief.

Chenzhou was among the worst disaster-hit regions when severe cold weather ravaged eastern and central China last month, which caused blackouts and cut off water supply in the city.