1. A severe snow storm, the heaviest in 5 decades, has been falling in China's eastern, central and southern regions for about three weeks. It has caused deaths, structural collapses, blackouts, accidents, transport (railway, highway and airport) problems and livestock and crop destruction. The snow havoc has hit 19 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, toppled 223,000 houses and damaged another 862,000, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs. The ministry said that nearly 7.8 million people had been affected and at least 60 people had been killed in the snow-triggered disasters. The economic loss directly caused by the snow havoc has been more than 53.8 billion RMB.

2. Relevant authorities and the People's Liberation Army responded immediately and are now busy in disaster relief efforts. The Chinese Government and leaders are highly concerned about it. President Hu Jintao emphasized guaranteeing transportation, power supply and people's normal life. Wu Bangguo, president of the Standing Committee of National People's Congress visited the Railway Ministry and other Departments in Beijing and urged the relevant authorities to spare no effort in resuming the power supply and transport in the snow-ravaged regions. Premier Wen Jiabao visited the snow-hit areas such as Hunan Province and Guangdong Province and directed the relief campaign. The local government and departments were mobilized to participate in the emergency handling and disaster relief work. Now the work is under way in an orderly manner. The snow is rarely seen in history and the Chinese people have encountered unprecedented difficulties. However, it is confident that the intensive disaster relief efforts will proceed smoothly and life in the disaster-hit areas could return to what it was at an early date with the concerted efforts of the Government and people as well as the cooperation of the PLA.

3. Many friendly countries and people conveyed their sympathy and solicitude. Some foreign leaders, including Rt. Hon. Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala, the Prime Minister of Nepal, have sent messages of sympathy and solicitude to Chinese leaders over the snow havoc in China. In their messages, the leaders expressed their deep sympathy and sincere regards for the Chinese government and the people in the affected areas, and spoke highly of the effective measures by the Chinese government to resume normal life in disaster areas. They expressed the belief that the Chinese government and people will be able to tide over the disaster at an early date.