A blizzard has struck northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The northern prefecture of Altay has been hardest hit, with helicopters called in to airlift residents out of the area.

On Saturday, helicopters also dropped in medicine and other relief supplies. Meanwhile, rescue workers found the bodies of seven people in an Altay township, but could not transfer them due to bad weather.

The rescue team planned to move the bodies with a helicopter to Altay city today to confirm their identities.

The seven were part of a group of illegal gold miners who were overtaken by a snowstorm ten days before. Up to 2 meters of snow has fallen in the township, cutting ground access to the area.

The accompanying cold snap pushed temperatures in some areas to around minus 46 degrees Celsius.

(CCTV.com January 24, 2010)