400,000 Stranded Rail Passengers in Guangdong

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 GUANGZHOU 000048 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ELTN SOCI PGOV ELAB ECON CH SUBJECT: 400,000 Stranded Rail Passengers in Guangdong (U) This document is sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly. ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Severe weather, which is causing transportation shut-downs in Central and East China, has left 400,000 passengers stranded at railway stations in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Dongguan in the Pearl River Delta. With the delays to date, it is possible that upwards of 700,000 passengers might not have passage home before the Lunar New Year. Local government is actively engaged in trying to ensure order is maintained and stranded workers and families are taken care of. Despite government efforts to encourage travelers to cancel trips home and remain near their workplace, most people at the train station and nearby shelters remain determined to return home for the holiday. End summary. Severe Weather Strands Thousands in South China -------------- -- ¶2. (SBU) According to Guangzhou Railway Group, severe weather caused transportation closures in Central and East China and left a total of 400,000 passengers stranded at railway stations in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Dongguan. When trains do resume, they will only be able to take 70,000 passengers per day. With the delays to date, it is possible that upwards of 700,000 passengers might not have passage home before the Lunar New Year. ¶3. (U) Difficulties are also mounting in terms of sanitation and health. Over 100 stranded passengers at the Guangzhou railway square fainted and were sent to the railway station for medical treatment; more than 100 tons of rubbish have piled up in the area each day. The city government sent 120 sanitation workers to remove garbage; portable toilets have been positioned at major intersections and walkways near the Guangzhou Rail Station. Basic Services Coming Available, Despite Strains -------------- --- ¶4. (SBU) Prices for food and drinks in the area went up dramatically as the crisis mounted, but now appear to be settling as the local government has taken control of the situation. Guangzhou plans to open 13 shelters for stranded passengers with free food and water provided, and Congenoff, who spent several hours at the station talking with travelers, saw free bottled water and inexpensive hot meals being distributed at the Liuhua Convention Center, 3 blocks south of the train station. Media reports indicate that as many as 50,000 passengers have been sheltered at the site in recent days, with travelers gathered in different waiting areas according to final destination. Congenoff noticed the availability of basic medical services and a robust police presence clearly meant to maintain order even as periodic announcements of train arrivals instructed stranded passengers how to proceed to their departure areas. Stranded Passengers Encouraged to Change Plans -------------- - ¶5. (SBU) According to local media reports (the global economic situation has now been overshadowed by the crisis in travel arrangements),Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua inspected the Guangzhou Railway Station on January 28 and instructed local officials to try and persuade migrant workers to stay in the province during the Lunar New Year. The Guangzhou Trade Federation has called on local branches to organize activities for migrant workers who decide to stay. Outside the station, police officers formed the outer-most security cordon, with People's Armed Police (PAP) stationed behind the police and makeshift crowd-control barriers. Police throughout the area were heard actively encouraging travelers, many of whom said they had waited overnight, to remain in Guangdong for the holiday. ¶6. (SBU) The Guangzhou Railway Group is also encouraging rail passengers to change their travel plans and consider travel by bus. However, the press continues to report that icy road conditions in Central China have made bus travel to northern destinations almost impossible and will likely continue for the next few days, with traffic jams along the Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway. The local Traffic Bureau has arranged for more than 1,000 buses to take those stranded in Guangzhou back to their work places (in Dongguan and other nearby areas) free of charge. At the same time, the Ministry of Railways has dispatched 60 extra trains, and rail ticket offices in Guangdong have stopped selling new tickets since January 26. Instead, ticket offices have begun refunding ticket fees without penalty, although travelers on the street expressed concern that refund lines would be exceptionally long and refund procedures might be complicated. Unwavering Determination to Travel Home -------------- GUANGZHOU 00000048 002 OF 002 ¶7. (SBU) Although media reported thousands of passengers processing refunds and remaining in Guangdong for the holiday, most people waiting outside the train station and convention center remained firm about going home for Lunar New Year. One man said the difficulties of purchasing his train ticket and the fact that he did not make it home last year meant he had no intention of giving up or seeking a refund. Occasional bouts of frustration led some people to raise voices at police and one couple scaled barriers and attempted to run across security perimeters surrounded by police and PAP, only to be apprehended and sent back the way they came. When asked about their dash, the couple told Congenoff that it was worth a try to enter the station, although they did not want trouble and were willing to return when stopped by PAP guards. GOLDBERG