Update | Huge queues, thousands stranded at Guangzhou train station as cold weather hits Lunar New Year holiday travel in China

More than 100,000 people were stuck at Guangzhou’s railway ­station in southern China late on Monday, facing long delays amid icy rain, as ­millions made their way home for the Lunar New Year.

The cold weather has brought rain and snow from the north, ­delaying the arrival of trains in Guangzhou and leaving passengers stranded at the station.

READ MORE: Bittersweet Chinese Lunar New Year holiday: migrant workers sent home early as factories struggle with economic downturn

In the Yangtze River Delta – ­another major migrant worker hub – about 30,000 people were stuck at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station after more than 50 trains were delayed due to bad weather, railway authorities said.

The station opened 12 extra counters for passengers to get refunds or book new train tickets, according to the Xinmin Evening News.

The long queues at the Guangzhou station were similar to those in 2008 when a massive snowstorm swept across southern China, causing severe delays. Tens of thousands of workers were stranded at the railway square for over a week, unable to get home.

Yesterday, the station put into force its Level Three emergency measures for the first time since 2008. Bus terminals, taxi drop-off points and subway stations linked to the railway were closed to stop more people from packing into the square.

On Monday, more than 32 trains were delayed at the station. But the number had gone down to 24 by yesterday afternoon, China News Service reported.