Sea ice off China's east coast is likely to increase in the next few days as a new cold snap is expected.

Sea ice off China's east coast is likely to increase in the next few days as a new cold snap is expected.

So far, almost half of the Bohai Sea is frozen, the worst in 40 years. The State Oceanic Administration has drawn up an emergency plan.

The increasing amount of ice has affected tens of thousands of people and caused huge economic losses in provinces along China's east coast.

More than 140,000 hectares of offshore aquatic farms in Shandong Province have been damaged. Direct economic losses have reached 2 billion yuan.