All the herdsmen who were affected the blizzard in Altay Prefecture in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region have been relocated and their life have returned to normal, said the local government source Sunday.

Parts of Xinjiang had been hit by continuous heavy snowfall amid drastic temperature drop since December 29 last year, leaving herdsmen and their livestock stranded in winter pastures.

Altay Prefecture was most seriously affected. The snow, about 40 centimeters thick, prevented the livestock at the winter pastures from finding sufficient food, according to the local government.

The local government in Altay organized 18 working teams to the blizzard-hit place to help the stranded herdsmen and their livestock back to their residential areas or safe places, said Zaken, an official with Altay Prefecture.

Currently, the government has sent 3.8 million yuan (US$469,100) in relief.

At the same time, food, feedstuff and remedies are also sent to the disaster-hit areas to help the herdsmen out of the difficulties.

(Xinhua News Agency January 9, 2006)