Sandstorm sweeps across northwest China, three killed

BEIJING - A huge sandstorm sweeping across northwest China for the past two days has left three people dead and destroyed property worth 550 million yuan ($80 million), officials said Monday.

The storm started in Gansu province Saturday and killed three people in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region over the weekend. On Monday, parts of Xinjiang, Gansu, Inner Mongolia and Ningxia regions were covered in dust, Xinhua reported.

Meteorologists said the storm is gradually weakening and is likely to stop Tuesday.

In Xinjiang, crops and vineries worth 550 million yuan were destroyed when a huge fire broke out caused by the storm, officials said. One person was missing.

Farming is the main source of livelihood in the area.

The storm also hampered the rescue and relief work in Yushu County, the epicentre of the devastating April 14 quake in Qinghai province.

Over 2,000 people have died in the 7.1-magnitude temblor.

Hundreds of rescue workers heading for Yushu were stranded at the Xining Airport after the storm.

Six daily flights from the provincial capital of Xining to Yushu were delayed.

In Gansu, 547 houses collapsed in the sandstorm.

Satellite images show the storm affected 6.7 million people and 135 million hectares of land in Xinjiang, Qinghai, Gansu and Inner Mongolia regions.

Cold wind blowing from Xinjiang to Gansu and high temperatures in desert areas caused the sandstorm, said experts.

“Every year from March to May, the frequent cold air and high temperatures in deserts create sandstorms,” said Qiao Lin, chief forecaster with the China Meteorological Administration.