China yesterday appealed for urgent domestic and overseas aid to help the 1.35 million people besieged by a blizzard in Inner Mongolia.
Xinhua said a snowstorm described as the 'worst in 50 years' struck the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on December 31.
According to the China Charity Federation at least 22 people had died and more than 16,000 livestock had frozen to death. Direct economic loss was estimated at 910 million yuan (HK$855 million).
Donations and rescue materials have been flooding in since the situation was first reported. As of yesterday, the federation had collected 600,000 yuan and goods valued at 10 million yuan, said charity president Yan Mingfu.
But the help is not enough for the thousands trapped in remote villages, where roads are blocked with heavy snow and temperatures have dropped to minus 30 degrees Celsius, according to Xinhua. 'The area is now in urgent need of clothes, cotton quilts, medicine, instant food and other materials including fodder for livestock,' said Mr Yan.
World Vision Hong Kong has sent a relief team to the area. The harsh winter means the area will be blanketed by snow until April.
