Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan paid a visit to China's
snow-and-ice hit Guizhou Province on Saturday to guide the disaster
relief work.
Leading a work team dispatched by the State Council, Zeng met
repair workers and administrators of the southwest province's
electricity grid.
Snow has been falling in east, central and south China for more
than a fortnight. Guizhou is one of the provinces worst hit as
water supply shortage, blackouts and communication obstacles have
affected 2.49 million people in 57 counties, cities and
districts.
Zeng urged repair of the damaged electricity transmission
equipment as soon as possible and redoubled efforts for de-icing
work on roads. He also called for launching power generators using
diesel oil, if necessary, to resume power supply.
He told local officials to pay more attention to the living
conditions of common people in the snow-hit areas and to maintain a
steady market supply before the Spring Festival.
(Xinhua News Agency February 3, 2008)