2 killed, 7.70 lakh people affected by heavy snow in N China

Heavy snowfall affected 917,000 square kilometres, or 78 per cent, of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with 82,000 square km buried in snow at least 25-centimetres deep, said the regional meteorological authority.

More than 3,700 residents have been relocated and 2.60 lakh others are in need of emergency aid, officials the region's civil affairs department told state-run Xinhua news agency.

By January 4, snow had left about 1.80 lakh livestock dead, with direct economic loss estimated at 690 million yuan (USD 110 million), the report said.

Civil affairs authorities have earmarked disaster relief funds that will be allocated to those affected by adverse weather conditions ahead of the Spring Festival, which falls on February 10 this year.

North China experienced its coldest winter in 42 years, with temperatures hitting minus 7.4 degrees Celsius, 2.4 degrees lower than the average level in previous years.

Temperatures in north China are expected to pick up next week, although much of south China will continue to experience cloudy skies, rain and snow, the CMA's National Meteorological Center said.