State Councilor Chen Zhili arrived in snow-and-ice hit Zhejiang Province on Sunday to guide the disaster relief work.

Leading a work team dispatched by the State Council, China's cabinet, Chen met repair workers and administrators working to de-ice the freeways in the eastern province.

Snow has been falling in the country's eastern, central and southern regions for nearly three weeks. Zhejiang is one of the provinces worst hit by a snow storm that has lasted several days.

Chen urged repair of damaged electricity transmission equipment as soon as possible and to double efforts for de-icing work on roads.

She told local officials to prepare further for a possible worsening of the situation in the upcoming days around the Spring Festival and to pay more attention to the living conditions of common people.

(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2008)