More than 1,000 trucks were stranded on Saturday at an overburdened ferry en route to the Three Gorges Dam area in central China's Hubei Province when continuous snowfall and rains have forced several other roads to close.

The trucks queued up at the ferry waiting to board when the dock only had a daily ferry capacity of 700 vehicles.

The trucks were heavily loaded with variety of goods, including glass, equipment, cables and fresh foods.

"I intended to transport some facilities from east China's Jiangxi Province to southwestern Chongqing Municipality and I have waited for three days here due to the heavy snow," a driver in the queue said.

The snow was said to be the heaviest in the past 30 years in Yichang city, where the dam is located. It has forced several highways to close, according to local traffic authorities.

Local police had attempted to ease the traffic pressure at the ferry by opening designated roads to the dam area.

Meteorologists said the snow would continue in the area over the next four days.

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2008)