China welcomes Year of the Rat as snow subsides

Chenzou: Fireworks welcomed in the Year of the Rat on Thursday, with severe weather slowly subsiding. Millions of Chinese spent a cold holiday as repair teams fought to restore power knocked out by the worst winter weather in a century.

For Li Hua, 34, the power came back on just in time for her to prepare the traditional New Year's Eve meal for her family. "I was so happy, and I felt so good when I was cooking the reunion dinner," she said.

China's leaders spent the eve of the Lunar New Year holiday in some of the worst-hit parts of south-central China commiserating with residents and encouraging relief workers.

In Chenzhou, one of the areas worst affected by the weather, lights were gradually coming back on after an 11-day blackout.

About 1,000 electricity pylons and poles have collapsed around Chenzhou under the weight of ice and snow, effectively destroying the local power grid.