The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) said Wednesday China was hit by six sandstorms in March, the worst of which swept the country's northwest from March 19 to 21. The sandstorms this year so far had mainly affected north and northwest China, Xinhua quoted CMA disaster-relief official Zheng Jiangping as saying in a press conference held Wednesday in Beijing. The March 19-21 sandstorm affected a total of 21 provinces and regions. The first sandstorm this year came on March 11 bringing sand and dust to Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Ningxia and Liaoning, Zheng said. Rising temperature that unfroze the soil after a severe winter was blamed for the frequent sandstorms this year, he said. The CMA forecast Inner Mongolia, Gansu, Ningxia and parts of Shaanxi would see more sand and dust in the air over the next 10 days.
