Heavy snow has affected 1.21 million people in east China's
Anhui Province, causing direct economic loss of 210 million yuan
(29 million U.S. dollars), the provincial department of civil
affairs said on Sunday.
The snow started to hit the areas of Anqing, Lu'an, Hefei and
others on Jan. 12, affecting 1.21 million people and damaging
87,000 hectares of farmland. Total crop failure was 6,700 hectares,
according to a department official.
Yuexi County in the capital Hefei saw its biggest ever snowfall
with the maximum depth exceeding 50 centimeters. Traffic was
blocked, while power supply and telephone lines were cut off
temporarily in some towns and villages.
A total of 1,033 houses in the province were toppled by the
snow. Initial estimates show the snow has caused direct economic
loss of 210 million yuan, including 164 million yuan in the
agricultural sector.
A local meteorologist said the snow would continue until
Thursday.
(Xinhua News Agency January 21, 2008)