In one of the biggest annual movements of humanity, about 200 million Chinese make roughly 2.2 billion trips over the Lunar New Year holiday. This year, Jack Frost made a guest appearance, causing massive travel delays, damaging key infrastructure, and disrupting coal shipments to power plants. China Vs US, from the Foreign Policy:
How does China’s winter disaster stack up against Hurricane Katrina? Here’s a look:
China
Fatalities 60
Damage $7.5 billion
Evacuees 1.7 million
Homes damaged or destroyed Over 1 million
Official visits PM Wen Jiabao to Guangzhou
Industries affected coal
Power supply 17 of 31 provinces in brownouts
Troops Deployed 500,000 soldiers, 1.6 million paramilitaryAmerica
Fatalities 1,353
Damage $96 billio
Evacuees 1.1 million
Homes damaged or destroyed 300,000
Official visits Bush to New Orleans
Industries affected oil & gas
Power supply 2.5 million without power
Troops Deployed 50,000 National Guard TroopsPhotos: MARK RALSTON/AFP/Getty Images; ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty Images
Related article: Chief meteorologist admits China ‘unprepared’ for snow crisis
