In March, the northern parts of Xinjiang may experience an increase of more than 10 degrees in temperature over two or three days, and snows will begin to melt.

If large amounts of snow melt in a short period, floods will be inevitable, according to an official in the Disaster Relief Office of the autonomous region.

Since this winter’s blizzards were the worst in 50 years, the spring floods are expected to be very severe.

Continuous blizzards over the past four months have led to snow accumulations of 70 centimeters on average, while in some mountainous areas, snow accumulations have reached more than 250 centimeters.

Currently, 94 percent of the land, or 112,000 square km, in Altay, the prefecture most seriously hit by the blizzards, is covered with snow.

Of the 33 rivers in the disaster-hit region, at least 11 are expected to overflow their banks and cause serious flooding.

The autonomous region has begun preparations for fighting the floods, according to local officials. Before spring comes, rivers in the disaster regions will have been dredged.

In Xinjiang rain is rare, and most floods are caused by melting snow. The blizzards, which blanketed Xinjiang from early October to mid-February, have killed 13 people and 108,700 heads of livestock.

A total of 924,000 people and 17 million heads of livestock in 6 autonomous prefectures and 29 counties are still feeling the effects of the disaster.

Incomplete statistics indicate that the disaster has caused an indirect economic loss of at least 214 million yuan (US$25.8 million).

Together with the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the China Charity Federation and some other state departments will stage a benefit performance to raise money.

The central government and the Xinjiang government have allocated 50 million yuan (US$6 million) and 57.45 million yuan (US$7 million) yuan respectively for relief in the disaster-hit region, but more money is needed.

(China Daily 02/15/2001)