More rains to hamper festival transport

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-01-29 10:49

More rains will hit south China in the coming week, making trips more difficult during the Chinese Lunar New Year rush period.

Flurries or moderate rains will visit most southern regions, parts of northwestern areas and east Qinghai-Tibet Plateau from Thursday to February 5, said the National Meteorological Center (NMC) on Wednesday.

Local traffic officials should fully prepare for the rainfalls, which are likely to hamper transport when millions of Chinese travel back to work from homes, said the NMC.

The rains will also alleviate droughts in east Tibet Autonomous Region and areas along the Yellow River and Huaihe River, according to the NMC.

China's railways carried 75.05 million passengers between January 11-27, a 17 percent increase from a year earlier, the Ministry of Railways said Wednesday.

The Chinese Lunar New Year falls on January 26 this year, bringing a 40-day travel rush that lasts till February 19.