URUMQI, May 1 (Xinhua) -- A windstorm disrupted train services in parts of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Sunday night, local authorities said.
Strong gales sweeping southern Xinjiang at 140 km per hour forced eight passenger trains to stop for safety reasons starting from 11:25 p.m. Sunday, Xinjiang's railway authorities said in a press release Monday.
Five of the trains were regional services linking Urumqi with other cities in Xinjiang, while the other three were interprovincial trains linking to Shaanxi Province and Chongqing Municipality, it said.
Most of the trains resumed operation after 9 a.m. Monday, when the wind had subsided.
Windstorms often disrupt train services in Xinjiang in winter and spring. In the worst cases, trains can be derailed by strong gales.
