A cold front triggered a sandstorm that hit parts of northwest China's Gansu Province Wednesday.

The sandy weather emerged in downtown Jiuquan City at midday Wednesday, with a lowest visibility of 900 meters, according to Wang Xiwen, a chief forecaster with the Central Meteorological Station of Lanzhou, the provincial capital.

The sandstorm in downtown Jiuquan weakened by Wednesday evening, but there were still strong gales.

"To ride a bicycle is very difficult outside and a layer of fine sand and dust could be clearly seen on roadside cars," said Zhu Shiliang, a Jiuquan resident.

The storm also hit Gansu's Jinta County at 3:11 p.m. with winds of up to 19 meters per second. The visibility in Jinta was 600 meters.

"When the sandstorm came, the whole county seat was shrouded in yellow sand," said Fang Youzhi, a worker on duty with the Jinta Meteorological Bureau.

"The sky became yellow and dark and dust could be smelled in the air," said Fang.

The losses caused by the sandstorm are unclear.

The Central Meteorological Station of Lanzhou forecast sandy weather may appear in other areas in Gansu Wednesday night.

(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2009)