Natural disasters triggered by rain and snow melting at high
altitudes have left 25 dead and affected 1.2 million people over
the last month in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, said a
regional civil affairs official on Tuesday.
Twenty-three people died in floods and mud-rock flows in the
Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, Altay, in northern Xinjiang,
and Turpan, in central Xinjiang, in July and early August, said the
official.
Another two were killed by lightning strikes, said the
official.
Natural disasters like rainstorms, floods, hail and strong winds
also affected 1.21 million people and caused economic losses of 1.5
billion yuan (US$180 million).
Floods also hit parts of southern Xinjiang.
In early August, the Aksu River, the Hotan River and the Yarkang
River, all major branches of the Tarim River in southern Xinjiang,
were hit by the worst flooding in 10 years, according to the office
of the regional flood control and drought relief headquarters.
The floods were mainly caused by rapidly melting snow, said the
office. One person was reported missing in the flooding, which also
inundated an area of 20 square kilometers and 66 hectares of cotton
crops.
About 500 soldiers and local people managed to control the
floods after three days.
Also in Hotan, southern Xinjiang, seven road repair workers were
swept away by sudden floods on August 1. Six of them were rescued,
but one is still missing.
Road traffic was also affected in southern Xinjiang as rain and
floods wrecked many roads in the area.
(Xinhua News Agency August 15, 2006)