Over half million people expected stranded at China railway station

Beijing: Over half a million passengers could be left stranded at a railway station in south China on Monday ahead of the biggest holiday of the year after heavy snowfall cut power to more than 136 trains, state media said. It is said to be the worst cold snap in over a decade.

More than 150,000 people were stranded at the main railway station in Guangzhou, the capital of the southern province of Guangdong, on Sunday .

Heavy snow fall and sleet in recent days has hit central, eastern and southern China, bringing many highways, railways and airports to a halt, especially in the east.

"A Guangzhou railway official warned that the number of stranded passengers could hit 600,000 today," the China Daily reported.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said that the weather was endangering lives and hampering supplies of fresh food, coal, oil and electricity ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations, which starts on February 7.

The Lunar New Year holiday sees one of the biggest movements of mankind as Chinese make their way to their home provinces to reunite with family.