Sandstorm hits north China

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Sandstorm hits north China

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Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Gansu suffer heavy sandstorm and low temperature.

29 April,2011 08:59 pm

Due to the cold air moving southeast from West Siberia, strong winds and violent sandstorms blasted their way into northern China on Friday, hitting Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Gansu Province.Heavy wind whipped up yellow dust in Turpan city, Kumul city and Altay region in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with sandstorms hitting some regions. The biggest wind power reached 10 degree and the gust even up to 12 degree. Many citizens wore masks to avoid breathing in the dust. Heavy winds significantly lowered the temperature, which dropped to one degree centigrade below zero in northern Tianshan Mountains.The Ejin Banner of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region also suffered from sandstorms after enjoying good weather for a few days. The yellow dust swiftly pervaded the whole sky, blurring the view of high-rise buildings only a hundred meters away. According to the local meteorological department, the strongest wind scale was seven, reducing the visibility to less than 700 meters. The sandstorm weather will lower the temperature by 6-8 degrees from Apr 29th.In Gansu Province, according to the Jiuquan metrological department, the city of Jiuquan experienced the strongest sandstorm this year with the biggest wind speed reaching 16.6 meters per second and the visibility of 400 meters. The yellow dust blown up by the heavy wind pressed into the city, immediately dimming the sky and suffusing the air with strong smell of dust. Pedestrians rushed to nearby buildings for shelter and road vehicles moved slowly with their car light on. Local transportation, agricultural and forestry production were affected by the heavy sandstorms to varying degrees.