The first snowfall in Beijing has proved to be a lethal killer for the city's trees. More than 13 million trees - covering more than 27,000 hectares, or 4 percent of the citywide tree areas - were killed by the snow that hit the city last Thursday, said the municipal afforestation authority.

It was the most severe such disaster in the last 50-odd years, officials said. Direct economic losses were estimated at 110 million yuan (US$13.2 million).

(eastday.com November 13, 2003)