New cold front hits Xinjiang

A new cold front has reached Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The weather system is expected to worsen already icy conditions in other parts of the country. Blizzards that haven't been seen in four decades are paralyzing highway traffic.

At Xinjiang's Tacheng Basin, snow has been falling for nine consecutive days. The two roads connecting Tacheng and Urmuqi are closed.

On Provincial Road 318, trucks plow through snow deep enough to bury a grown man. Some sections of the road have about 8 meters of the white stuff -- the equivalent of a two-story building.

All outbound buses from Altay city have been suspended due to heavy snow. The forecast says there will be more snow the next two days. Temperatures are expected to dip to minus- 36 degrees Celsius.

In the countryside, farmers have been hit hard. Cold weather is affecting crops. Sheep compete for the remaining remnants of food.

To minimize the impact of the cold, local authorities are sending thousands of quilts, shoes and clothes to the affected areas. Staple goods such as flour and rice are also being distributed.

A new cold front has reached Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.