Lunar New Year: Snow and Rain Hampers Travel in China

Icy weather has already hindered Lunar New Year travel in China - and with more snow and rain in the forecast, the country is beginning to take precautions.

Heavy snow is expected in Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Hunan provinces, and Guizhou and Hunan will experience icy rains, Bloomberg News reported. Shanghai will also see small amounts of snowfall today, after the government said yesterday's precipitation caused a "spike" in traffic, Bloomberg reported.

Wintry weather has already hindered travel for the Lunar New Year, the world's largest annual migration, Bloomberg reported. Even last week, road accidents were common as people commuted for the festivities. Snow and rain have only escalated the problems, leading to 4,680 traffic accidents in Shanghai as of 9:30 p.m., the city's government said on its website -- and at least 10 people were killed in expressway collisions in central Hunan province on Thursday, according to a Blloomberg News story.

As a result, Shanghai imposed a speed limit on its highways yesterday and temporarily closed some roads because of the snowfall, according to the city highways department's website, translated by Bloomberg News. More than 40 long-distance bus services leaving Shanghai were cancelled, affecting about 1,000 passengers, the government's website reported - and more than 300 flights were delayed yesterday at the city's two airports.

Xinhua News Agency reported back in December that a record 3.41 billion passenger trips may be made during the 2013 Lunar New Year season.

The national weather agency warned travelers to bring warm clothing on their trips to avoid catching the flu and other diseases, Bloomberg News reported