Storm causes 38 deaths in north China

(chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-11-13 11:41

China’s north provinces have been hit with severe storm weather recently. Hebei, Shanxi and Henan saw the heaviest snow in 60 years, with some regions pummeled by snow storms for the first time in one hundred years.

Thirty eight people died in the freezing weather, which caused upheaval to millions of people as of Friday, chinanews.cn reported.

The heaviest snowfall since 1987 hit Xi’an, capital of Shaanxi province Wednesday, resulting in the lowest temperature the province has seen in the past 22 years.

Liaocheng, in northwest Shangdong, was blanketed by its heaviest snowfall ever. An average of 16.2mm fell overall, with the lowest temperature hitting minus 4 C.

In Shijiazhuang, capital of worst-hit Hebei province, six people died and 630,000 have been affected due to the severe weather. The direct economic loss has reached 419 million yuan ($59 million). Transportation there has been blocked, with many people stranded by the snow.

Over 470 accidents occurred in Shanxi province from Monday to Wednesday, with a death toll of 24 and injuries to 70 people, according to reports.