Emergency call

In neighboring Hunan province on Dec 16, employees at a high-speed railway station worked hard to clear snow.

Huang Zhonghai, a staff member at Yiyang South station, rushed to his place of work after receiving an emergency phone call at 1 am as heavy snowfall blanketed the small southern city.

After arriving at the station, Huang and his colleagues spread industrial salt on walkways and cleared ice from entrances. They worked tirelessly until 2 am.

"I couldn't get to sleep last night after seeing the weather forecast, although many other people were looking forward to the first snow of the winter. Over the years, at the first mention of snow, my thoughts immediately turn to clearing it away, along with the ice," Huang said.

He returned to the station early the next morning to make ginger tea for passengers.

Wu Rong, manager of the station, said it was prepared for the drop in temperatures and heavy snowfall.

"During the day, we carry out air conditioning checks every two hours, and at night, we clean the air conditioners if necessary. We also arrange for maintenance personnel to inspect water dispensers, ensuring 24-hour supplies of hot water for passengers," Wu said.

Despite the freezing temperatures, tourists flocked to witness spectacular wintry scenes.

Last week, the cold spell brought snow and frost to the Tianmen Mountain Scenic Area in Zhangjiajie, Hunan, along with more than 4,000 visitors each day. Tourist numbers also surged at Hengshan Mountain.

Online customized travel platform 32Hike, which is based in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong province, said it increased the number of organized trips to Hengshan Mountain to give visitors a chance to enjoy the snow-white landscape.

To cater to the influx of tourists and ensure a safe and comfortable experience, scenic spots implemented various safety measures, including posting conspicuous safety warnings in risky areas and providing free hot tea, raincoats, towels and medicine.

Kang Yang, a police officer stationed on Zhurong Peak, the highest point on Hengshan Mountain, said staff members at the police station worked day and night, stepping up patrols and responding to tourists' needs at any time.

"We tell visitors to the mountain to manage their time well, and urge them to come down from the mountain as early as possible, and no later than 4 pm. Officials also use megaphones to remind tourists of safety precautions," Kang said, adding that temporary medical aid sites have been set up to handle emergencies.

Ensuring the well-being of vulnerable populations has also been a priority amid the icy weather.

The Guangdong Provincial Civil Affairs Department said that as of 4 pm on Dec 20, authorities had visited 419,000 vulnerable people, and relocated 102 individuals. Street patrols also assisted more than 2,600 homeless people.

Authorities in a number of cities in Guangdong distributed supplies such as cotton quilts, coats, blankets, wooden beds, heaters, rice, water, milk and noodles, with the total relief fund amounting to 43.9 million yuan ($6.15 million).

Blood donation centers in Shandong, Henan and Shanxi provinces are facing difficulties, as plummeting temperatures have resulted in a sharp fall in donations.

Urgent appeals for donations as blood supplies reached critical levels were issued in Weifang, Shandong, Xinxiang, Henan, and Yuncheng, Shanxi.

Staff members at the blood center in Taiyuan, capital of Shanxi, said the city's daily clinical blood supply stood at around 600 to 700 units. But supplies of all blood types in the city have dropped sharply in recent days, posing a significant risk. There is a particularly severe shortage of type O blood.

The central blood station in Yueyang, Hunan, has also faced dwindling supplies due to an increase in respiratory infections during the cold weather.

One blood donor told People's Daily: "Blood cannot be manufactured, and supplies have an expiration date. Healthy individuals are relied on to donate regularly. Such donations do not harm donors, but encourage the formation of good habits."

Cang Wei in Nanjing and Ma Zhenhuan in Hangzhou contributed to this story.