Sandstorm hits Xinjiang, will likely continue A heavy sandstorm sweeps Qiemo County, Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyg...

Sandstorm hits Xinjiang, will likely continue

A heavy sandstorm sweeps Qiemo County, Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the morning, creating low visibility and hazardous driving conditions on the road. Light rain or snow is also forecast for later today and tomorrow in northern and part of southern Xinjiang, which will bring the temperature down by 5-8 degrees Celsius. (Photo: CNS/Gong Liyi)

A heavy sandstorm sweeps Qiemo County, Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the morning, creating low visibility and hazardous driving conditions on the road. Light rain or snow is also forecast for later today and tomorrow in northern and part of southern Xinjiang, which will bring the temperature down by 5-8 degrees Celsius. (Photo: CNS/Gong Liyi)

The heavy sandstorm also sweeps Turpan City, Turpan Prefecture, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. (Photo: CFP/Jiang Xiaoming)

BEIJING, March 20 (Xinhua) -- China's top meteorological authority said Tuesday that a sandstorm has hit northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Gansu province amid strong gales.

Visibility has decreased to less than 500 meters in some areas due to the sandstorm, the first to occur in China this year, according to the National Meteorological Center (NMC).

The NMC forecast that the strong winds battering the region will move east over the next two days, bringing sand and dust to eastern Xinjiang, as well some areas in Gansu, Qinghai and Inner Mongolia.

Temperatures in Xinjiang's capital of Urumqi dropped by nearly 11 degrees Celsius on Tuesday due to a cold front and strong winds.

The strong gales also halted 24 trains on two railways on Monday, according to the provincial railway authority.