The death toll due to blizzards, the worst in 50 years, in inner Mongolia has risen to 23 with 27 still reported missing, the state media reported on Saturday. Sixty-seven of the 94 people who went missing during the devastating blizzard have returned home, ‘China Daily' reported. Snowstorms have swept over the Xilingol grasslands of north China's inner Mongolia autonomous region 11 times so far this winter, snapping transportation and communication links with the remote region. In Xilingol league alone, a total of 546 villages, 112 sumu-administrative units under county level and 11 banners, or counties, have been affected by the blizzards. Nearly 10 million heads of livestock and 200,000 heardsmen have been affected, the report said. The annual revenue from livestock farming makes up more than half of the league's economic output. The Chinese central government and local governments are intensifying efforts to ferry food, clothing and tents to the homeless heardsmen and to clear roads to help the relief efforts.
Bureau Report