Heaviest snowfall in 30 years engulfs China

An anomalous once-in-three decades snowstorm has brought between 0.85 and 1 meter snow to the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region this week.

In all, over 60,000 heads of sheep and horses are threatened by acute fodder shortage, while 425 heads of animals have already died due to snow collapsed sheep pens.

This heaviest snowfall in thirty years has caused difficulties with feeding the sheep herds apart from affecting local traffic.

In response to this rare climatic anomaly, local authorities have mobilized heavy-duty machineries to clear the snow to reconnect traffic. The first shipment of 775 tons of fodder has already reached snow-affected pastures.