Cold snap paralyzing parts of China

Cold snap paralyzing parts of China Extreme weather over much of China is wreaking havoc with passenger and cargo transportation networks.
   International news outlets are reporting that more than 600,000 people across the country are waiting for delayed trains as a cold wave has blanketed much of the country’s north and eastern provinces.
   It’s also had an impact on cargo movement, with Reuters reporting that “cargo ships docked at Shanghai’s Baoshan Port were delayed by snow that has hampered operations.”
   Airports have been severely affected as well.
   “Traffic at dozens of regional airports has been reduced to a snail’s pace or stopped completely,” the Reuters report said. “About half the country’s 31 provinces are enduring power brownouts as coal shipment delays add to strains.”
   The weather problems come at an especially bad time — right before the Chinese New Year — when transportation systems are typically stretched to their limits by passengers.