Nation to see fewer spring sandstorms
By Qin Chuan (China Daily)
Updated: 2005-01-15 00:47

There will be fewer major sandstorms this spring, according to the China National Environmental Monitoring Centre.

A file photo shows that Urumchi, capital of Northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, was raged by sandstorm in April 19, 2004. [newsphoto]

But the country's western regions may experience more sandstorms than eastern China this year, due to a major source of this scourge in Northwest China's Gansu Province, the centre said on Thursday.

On the whole, there will be few sandstorms this spring, it added.

Meanwhile, a report in Friday's edition of the People's Daily said that China Meteorological Administration recently made a similar prediction.

According to a report from the centre, the environment in the northern part of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Alxa League in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in 2004 did not experience any noticeable changes.

The intensity and occurrence of sandstorms in such regions will be at the same level this year as it was last year.

As for the region to the west of the Yellow River in Northwest China's Gansu Province, there was little rainfall last year, meaning that there will be more sandstorms this year, the report said.

At the same time there will be fewer sandstorms in the central and northern area of Inner Mongolia and on its Hunshandake Desert this year due to better vegetation, said the report.

Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Gansu are major sources of sandstorms in China.

In Northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and the northern part of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, where sandstorms usually pass through and strengthen, both the environment and vegetation were improved in 2004, meaning that they will make a smaller contribution to sandstorms this year, the report said.

Sandstorms used to be front page stories in China's newspapers in the spring, with unceasing efforts to fight this scourge.

The country's first major sandstorm database was set up in Gansu Province last year.

It gathers general information, and data related to duststorm cases and disasters, and references and documents.

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