China in lockdown as weather worsens

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- China's worst winter in more than half a century showed no signs of abating Wednesday as forecasters told citizens to brace for three more days of snow and sleet.

"The heavy snow and sleet has paralyzed transport and coal shipments, and led to travelers cramming railways stations and airports and power supply reductions in almost half of the 31 provinces and regions on the Chinese mainland," China's Xinhua news agency reported.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao apologized to the hundreds of thousands of people stranded in train stations across his country -- a rare move by a Chinese politician.

"I apologize to you all," said Wen, using a bullhorn to address stranded travelers at a train station in Hunan province. "We are currently trying our best to repair the system.

"First we'll fix the electric grid. After that, the trains will run again. ... Then all of you can go home for the Chinese New Year," the premier said, bringing applause from the crowd.

Chinese media replayed the apology several times. The unusual gesture is likely to go a long way in pacifying the anger and frustrations of the thousands stranded across the country, CNN's Jaime Florcruz said.

Chinese President Hu Jintao called an emergency meeting of the policy-making politburo and promised quick action and immediate relief for those trying to make it home.

The moves are intended to show that the government is in control and taking responsibility for the situation, Florcruz said.

The weather could not have come at a worse time: Millions of Chinese workers were trying to leave the cities where they work to travel home to their families for the Lunar New Year holiday, the Xinhua news agency reported, putting intense pressure on the country's transportation network. The holiday, also known as the Spring Festival, falls on February 7.

More than 177 million Chinese are expected to travel by train, and 22 million more by plane, for the holiday.

The transit meltdown saw Brian Blackwell of Chicago stranded for two days at Shanghai's Hongqiao International Airport, where tempers were short and several fist fights nearly broke out.

"There were thousands of people there and they were pushing toward the counter," Blackwell told CNN in a phone interview. "You had no idea what the status of your flight was."

On Wednesday, Blackwell drove to Shanghai's Pudong International Airport to catch a United Airlines flight to Chicago. He said the mood was much calmer at Pudong, which handles more international flights.

Brutal winter weather has pounded China's central, eastern and southern sections. In its 10-day forecast, the China Meteorological Administration said Wednesday that southwestern, eastern and southern China can expect more snow and sleet with freezing temperatures, while northern China will stay clear but windy.

More than 300,000 passengers who wanted to board trains at the Guangzhou station were stranded in the city as heavy snowfall knocked out power and greatly slowed rail operations in Hunan province, along a line serving Beijing and Guangzhou, Chinese media reported. Armed riot police were deployed to keep order.