Flood hits northern Xinjiang valley in NW China

Floods caused by continuous rain, melted ice and snow hit Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili in northern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in northwestern China.

More than 10,000 people living in the area have been affected and about 2,900 locals have been relocated, according to the department of civil affairs in the Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili.

Some roads and bridges have been destroyed. The flood also inundated pastures and farmlands.

Ili Valley had had heavy snowfall from December in 2005 to January in 2006. The Tianshan Mountains reported accumulated snow of about 1.2 meters in depth.

Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of iii reported incessant rainfall for 15 straight hours from last Friday to Saturday and the temperature was 6 to 12 degrees Celsius higher than the average figure in previous years.

The local government has been organizing rescue work to replace people living in the valley.

Source: Xinhua