Worsening sea ice has completely isolated a populated island on Bohai Sea off northeast China's Liaoning Province, stranding more than 3,200 people.

Ye Qinghua, head of the police station on the Juhua Island, told Xinhua over phone on Tuesday that people on the island have prepared food and living necessities, but they were short of drinking water.

"There are not enough fuel stocks for heating, and some sections of the water pipeline are frozen, cutting water supply to some residents here," said Ye.

A doctor surnamed Li on the island said the island's medical facilities were not good enough for surgery. He said it would be dangerous if someone needed emergency treatment.

The island of 13.5 square km is the largest in Liaodong Bay. It is only separated by 7.5 km gulf from Xingcheng City, Liaoning Province.

Ferry traffic to and from the island was suspended on January 5, because of ice.

The Bohai Sea is presently suffering from the worst sea ice in four decades. Almost 30,000 square km of ice now covers up to 40 percent of the Bohai Sea.

Wang Hua, marine weather forecast official with the State Oceanic Administration, said on Tuesday the sea ice would continue to expand this week, as another cold front would arrive in the area on Wednesday.

Xinhua reporters saw some residents risk their lives by riding or walking across the ice to the island, which is forbidden by the local government.

The government has warned locals that the ice could crack apart.

The ice has affected marine transport, fishing, aquatic breeding and offshore mining in Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong provinces and Tianjin Municipality.

Wang Weiliang, head of the Marine Fishing Bureau in Yingkou City, Liaoning, said the port in Yingkou, dubbed as China's northern most ice-free port, was currently covered by ice up to 1 meter thick.

He said more than 300 fishing boats were stranded in the port by the ice.

Yuan Zongxiang, director of the Shandong Provincial Marine Affairs Bureau, said the bureau had sent helicopters to monitor the situation and provide aid marine rescues if required.

(Xinhua News Agency January 19, 2010)