Published by: World Tibet Network News, Sunday, May 26 1996

LANZHOU (May 25) XINHUA - Satellites used with the functions of remote-sensing to enable experts to warn against violent snowstorms in China have helped reduce economic losses by up to 20 percent in the country's rural areas.

The special forecasts beam from the sky has helped scientists to avert snow disasters by giving early warnings so that accurate supervision and evaluation can take place.

Snow storms are frequent in the pastoral areas of north and west China, where major snow storms are capable of killing half of the cattle. Direct economic losses caused by snow storms in China are estimated at several hundred million yuan.

To fight snow storms, the Chinese government listed the supervision and evaluation of snow disasters with remote-sensing technology as a key research program.

After five years of research, scientists of the Lanzhou Institute of Glaciology and Cryopedology, under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, have set up a system in which satellite remote-sensing technology and geographic information systems are adopted.

In 1995, the achievement was successfully used in Nagqu in Tibet Autonomous Region, providing early information for decision makers.

Local government has signed an agreement of co-operation with the institute. Under the agreement, remote-sensing technology will be utilized to supervise possible snow storms in Nagqu between June this year and May next year.

The achievement will be able to help avoid 30-40 million yuan worth of economic losses annually if it is put to use in the pastoral areas around the country, experts said.

Enditem 25/05/96 01:51 GMT