Strong winds hit Karamay city in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on March 24 and 25. The city emergency service took immediate effective measures and deployed extra security and emergency forces to help with any potential accidents and disaster.

Traffic police officers of the Baijiantan district traffic department patrolling the No 217 National Highway at midnight on March 25 found a minibus blown away by the gale force, having been derailed.

Finding out that the minibus was badly damaged, the police officers decided to transfer all five passengers, including two pregnant women into the patrol wagon and drive them to safety in Baijiantan district.

"It usually takes us 30 minutes to travel 30 kilometers. But today, we spent nearly two hours. The wind was so strong and scary," said a police officer. The damaged minibus was also towed to the police station.

"Many thanks to the respectable police officers," said Shelham, the minibus driver. "We are going to have the car repaired and go back to Burqin county when the wind dies down."

Edited by Mevlut Katik