A workers clears snow on a highway after a snowslide hit the region in Yili Prefecture of the southwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, January 11, 2005. Authorities said the heavy snowfall has affected some 622,000 people in Altay, Tacheng and Ili prefectures of northern Xinjiang, stranding 224,800 people and killing 9,234 head of livestock. (Xinhua photo)

    URUMQI, Jan. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- Thousands of resident's houses were ruined by an ice flood from Ili River in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest China, local sources said on Thursday.

    Due to the two-day snowstorm and a drastic drop in temperature,ice blocked the riverway and caused a flood, soaking the houses of 45 herdsman families and about 140 hectares of farmland in Qapqal County nearby Ili River.

    More than 3 million heads of cattle are facing hunger.

    Local authorities rushed to flood-hit area. They managed to dredge the riverway by blowing up the ice and have made arrangements for victims who lost their houses.

    Consecutive snowfall from Jan. 9 to 11 in the Ili Valley has caused several avalanches in this area, obstructing the transportation from Ili to Urumqi, capital of the autonomous region. Enditem