Hailstones are shown in local farmer's hands in Yuzhong County, northwest China's Gansu Province, which was stricken by a strong hail Thursday, July 27, 2006. The hail, never seen in this area over the past 50 years, stripped the harvest of over 1,600 hectares of farmland, leading to a direct economic loss of 8.5 million yuan and causing 6,156 people in 1,393 households to living on nothing till early next year. The hail lasted more than an hour. Ruscue work is under way. [China Foto Base]