Severe weather, including hailstorms and sandstorms, havekilled five people and affected 384,900 others in northwest China’s Xinjiang UygurAutonomous Region, according to local authorities.According to China’s news agency (Xinhua), the regional emergency office said thatstorms had destroyed farmland in rural areas and caused power cuts and trafficjams in cities, with economic losses at 1.33 billion Yuan (about USD 212 million).Rescue operations are underway. Victims have been resettled and relief supplies likequilts, tents, flour, cooking oil and drinking water have been handed out.