Many parts of Xinjiang had been hit by a heavy snowfall and a sharp drop in temperature since December 29, leaving herdsmen and their livestock stranded in winter pastures or homeless after their houses collapsed.

The herdsmen were among some 97,000 people living in the Altay Prefecture in Xinjiang province who have been relocated, Xinhua news agency quoted local government officials saying.

Soldiers and other rescuers had spent the past few days opening roads through the thick layer of snow to rescue the herdsmen and their livestock, said Xinhua.

Meteorologists said they do not expect any more heavy snowfall for the region in the coming week, Xinhua said.

Much of the bad weather, the worst in 20 years in the region that borders Central Asia and Russia, was centered around the cities of Altai, Tacheng, Yining and Bole.

In worst-hit Altai region, over one meter (3.3 feet) of snow had fallen since late December, while the mercury had dropped to as low as minus 43 degrees Celsius (minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit), the Xinmin Evening News said.

Authorities are now working to save the herdsmen's animals from frostbite.

Rescuers have prepared dry cow and sheep dung for the livestock to rest on so that they would not rest in snow as they could die if their legs suffered frostbite and they could not stand up.

The Civil Affairs Ministry said previously 9,000 head of livestock had already died because of the cold.

No human fatalities have been recorded.

The Xinjiang News website had said more livestock could die soon as at least 300,000 head of cattle and sheep had been unable to graze because of the thick snow cover.

Average daily highs in the region were expected to remain as low as minus 17 degrees Celsius in coming days.

The Chinese government has sent 3.8 million yuan (469,100 US dollars) in relief to the area, as well as food, animal feed, tents and clothes.

Winter is especially hard in Xinjiang. In early 2001, devastating blizzards killed 130,000 livestock, and hundreds of people suffered from frostbite with some having to have limbs amputated.

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