SHANGHAI — For two weeks running, much of this country, long known for its capacity for mass mobilization, has been tied in knots by a series of major snowstorms.
Families in Chenzhou, part of Hunan Province, have been without electricity, water and heating for as long as 10 days.
Although the snowfall has been described as the worst here in 50 years, it has been nothing like the deep cover that blankets parts of New England or the upper Midwest in many winters.
But its crippling effect seems to have been mostly because of surprise. The storm knocked out electricity and water supplies, threatened the coal supply that fuels the country’s power plants and stranded millions of Chinese on the eve of the year’s most important holiday.
Many of the worst effects have been in parts of east-central and southern China, which are largely unaccustomed to serious snowfall.
Many victims, however — as many as 100 million people were directly affected — equate surprise on such a huge scale with lack of preparation.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/04/world/asia/04snow.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=sloginLack of preparation? Heck of a job Blownie!