Flooding caused by rainfall and snow thaw has inundated 500 hectares of farmland, and demolished 33 houses and more than 100 bridges and culverts in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. 

No casualties have been reported since the flood began on Friday in the Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Xinjiang, local police said.

Rain accelerated the thaw of snow that began on February 25, about 20 days earlier than normal, said Hou Jidong, director of the local water conservancy bureau.

"An unusually heavy snow storm and cooling process in Ili last winter also contributed to the flood," Hou said.

About 4,100 people are working on dams to control the flood, using 140 tons of iron wire, 670,000 sacks and 20,000 cubic meters of wood and stone, according to Hou. 

(Xinhua News Agency March 16, 2005)