August snow disrupts life in Inner Mongolia

HOHHOT, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Rare August snow has fallen in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the local civil affairs authorities said Thursday.

Strong winds and snow from late Monday in Chifeng City and Hinggan League caused temperatures to drop to minus two degrees Celsius.

Up to 5,200 hectares of crops were damaged, including 1,700 hectares completely destroyed by frost, the regional civil affairs department said in a statement.

Direct economic losses are expected to exceed 7 million yuan (1 million U.S. dollars).

Although winter comes earlier to Inner Mongolia than most parts of China, but snow in August is still unusual.