13 killed in heavy snowstorms in China

Thirteen people have been killed in heavy snowstorms in east China's Anhui Province in the last three days, according to local officials.

The worst snowstorms since 2008 have so far affected 1.06 million people in the province, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The storms caused direct economic losses of 1.26 billion yuan (USD 190 million), and 790 million yuan (122 million U.S. dollars) of losses in agriculture.

Nine cities including capital Hefei initiated emergency responses due to the snow.

Besides Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu and Shaanxi provinces have all suffered from heavy snow this week.