Spring Festival Travel Rush: Over 7,000 cars stranded in foggy Haikou

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It's the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, which is also the last day of the week-long vacation. China's transport systems are seeing a second travel peak, as the holiday draws to a close. But in south China's Haikou city, many are stranded and have to wait. CGTN's Rory Coen has more.

Starting Monday, heavy fog blanketed the Qiongzhou Strait between the island and the mainland. Thousands of cars were stranded in Haikou. At one point, the waiting line extended 10 kilometers. 7-thousand cars were still stranded on Wednesday morning.

DRIVER "It's been an hour and we moved about a kilometer. Now we are still waiting."

PASSENGER "We have waited for twelve."

Reporter: Do you bring anything to eat?

"We brought a little food, but it's not enough. We were given this, water, and porridge."

Distributing free water, bread, and steamed buns, Setting up portable toilets. The government went into action. Passengers could only wait. Air tickets soared ten times above usual, to over two thousand US dollars from Haikou to Guangzhou.

ZHANG JI, SECRETARY HAIKOU XIUYING DISTRICT PARTY COMMITTEE "Volunteers have been increased to 40 people each shift. Yesterday there were about 200 volunteers in three different ports. We are going to overcome the difficulties. Drivers who are stranded here understand us well."

The fog finally started to disperse, and ferry services resumed. But the local government is advising travellers against heading to the ports, as roads leading to them remain heavily congested. Rory Coen, CGTN.