All 22 herdsmen safe after storm
(China Daily)
Updated: 2004-03-29 23:38

All 22 herdsmen who were lost in a strong sandstorm last Saturday in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region returned home when the last three missing men were found Monday.

In addition, more than 3,200 head of livestock have been found while another 1,900 are lost or have died, said an official of the disaster relief headquarters of the Xilingol League.

The sandstorm, which lasted about 16 hours and is thought by meterological officials to be the most destructive of its kind in the past five years has complicated rescue efforts in Xilingol League in Inner Mongolia. The area was hit by an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale just last Wednesday.

The quake-affected areas were in bad need of tents since just 80 per cent of the 1,500 tents put up after the earthquake were destroyed by the sandstorm, an official said.

The sandstorm also caused power failures and destroyed waterworks at the Dong Ujimqin Banner, Xi Ujimqin Banner, the city of Xilinhot and Ulgai development zone.

Starting from Saturday morning, the sandstorm swept from west to east through Xilingol League with maximum winds reaching 28 metres per second, lowering the visibility to below 10 metres.

The sandstorm swept through North China last Friday and Sunday, affecting some 7,000 people and covering an area of roughly 2 million square kilometres, according to the State Forestry Bureau.The dusty conditions weather will probably last for two more days.

Lower visibility and the transnormal total suspended particulate matter have caused traffic congestion on local roads and highways and harmed people's health, especially those with chronic respiratory conditions.

It has also had adverse impacts on spring ploughing in the eastern portions of Northwest China and north part of the North China Plains.

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