Heavy snow that started on Sunday evening and lasted until the next morning has severely hampered Yongdeng County and some other parts of northwest China's Gansu Province.

A local farmer in Gansu Province clears away snows from vegetables on October 8.

The sudden snowfall broke branches of many trees in the county, collapsed some 14 houses, and reduced crops output by 30 to 50 percent, local newspaper Lanzhou Morning Post reported on Tuesday.

The county's civil affairs bureau said economic losses resulted from the snow was worth at least 316, 000 yuan (about US$42,000).

The local government has ordered relocation of villagers whose houses were destroyed or damaged.

Heavy snow covers mountains and homes in a village of Gansu Province on October 8.

(CRI October 9, 2007)