The picture shows that two little girls are pleased with snowfall on their way to school in Yinchuan, capital of northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, March 4, 2003. The snowfall across the region Tuesday helped curb seasonal sandstorm and relieve sustained drought.

Heavy snow since early Tuesday morning blanketed most of northwest China's Gansu Province and is expected to greatly relieve the region's drought, too.

The Gansu provincial weather bureau forecast that the snow would last a full day and would greatly lower the air temperature across the province.

The snow would relieve the drought caused by drought and the drying up of major rivers in the province, experts say, adding it would help farmers with their spring sowing.

The snow was also expected to reduce the suspended dirt particles in the city's air.

(Xinhua News Agency March 4, 2003)