Blizzard leaves 13 dead in Xinjiang
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The worst snow in northwestern China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in six decades has claimed 13 lives by Monday, according to the regional bureau of civil affairs.
The bureau said in a printed report to news outlets Monday the blizzard and freezing temperatures that swept the northern part of Xinjiang, particularly Altay and Tacheng, had left another 1,168 people ill and injured.
Nine people died in Altay, including one from cold and eight in avalanches, and four died in avalanches in Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, as of 10 a.m. Monday, said the report.
Almost 1.42 million people were affected by the weather, and of them, 161,856 have been evacuated.
The severe frigidity has also toppled 7,125 residential buildings and damaged another 21,856 homes and 8,911 animal pens and vegetable sheds, leaving 101,000 head of livestock dead or injured. The grim weather also made it hard for 3.71 million head of livestock to find enough to eat, it said.
There was a shortage of 5,800 tonnes of grain rations and 22,000 tonnes of fuel coal in Altay and short supplies of 3,100 tonnes of grain rations, more than 80,000 items of clothing and quilts and 8,570 tonnes of fuel coal in Tacheng.
Ili Kazak Autonomous Region was also suffering from dearth of 3,365 tonnes of grain and 19,914 tonnes of fuel coal.
According to the civil affairs bureau, the regional government has earmarked 65.4 million yuan (9.59 million U.S. dollars) for disaster relief, provided 4,716 tonnes of grain, 38,649 tonnes of coal and 40,000 winter coats and quilts.
The regional government has also allocated 810 tonnes of fodder to Altay, said the report.
The severe weather has aroused concern in the central government. Premier Wen Jiabao, during his inspection tour to Altay and Tacheng at the weekend, promised to take effective measures to help people through the severe weather.
He said the government would offer subsidies and provide discount loans for shepherds, and would continue assistance into the spring.
The Ministry of Finance announced on Monday the allocation of another 14 million yuan from the central fiscal for Xinjiang's farmers and herdsmen to restore agricultural production, in addition to the 124 million yuan of relief fund channeled to Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region last week.
According to the latest forecast of the National Meteorological Center, Xinjiang and regions in the northwest and northeast will expect small to moderate snow later on Monday and a cold front on Tuesday and Wednesday, which will result in a temperature plummet of six to eight degrees centigrade, or 10 to 14 degrees in some parts.
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