Heavy snow hits Tibet
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-02-06 09:16

Nearly 4,600 heads of cattle froze to death after continuous snowfall hit Xigaze Prefecture in southwestern Tibet Autonomous Region during the past two weeks, but no casualty was reported, local government said Saturday.

In addition, the transport between five counties was blocked due to the snow, according to the prefecture government.

"Most of the dead cattle are cubs, including a new breed goat, which we imported as an income-increase project, and now we are working on the policies to help the herdsmen out of difficulties," said an official from Gyirong County, which suffered most serious damages in the snowfalls.

The prefecture government has set up a disaster relief work team and the team members have gone to different counties to investigate the damages caused by the heavy snow and monitor the rescue work.

By Friday morning, relief materials, including tents, forage grass and food, have sent to most of the snow-affected areas, according the prefecture government.