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Thousands of livestock have been killed after heavy snow and blizzards hit Tibetan areas of western China .
The official Xinhua News Agency said local authorities had sent veterinarians, medicine and animal feed to the hard-hit areas in Qinghai Province's Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
Disaster-hit villages in the area are above 5,000m and workers were seeking to clear roads covered in up to 45cm of snow to ensure the delivery of supplies.
The gruelling task has been made more difficult by high winds and drifting snow.
Winter weather – in picturesShow all 47 1 /47Winter weather – in pictures Winter weather – in pictures US-Canada Water flows around ice, formed on the American Falls in Niagara Falls, due to subzero temperatures, viewed from the Canadian side, in Ontario
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Winter weather – in pictures The Netherlands
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Winter weather – in pictures France Tourists are pictured in the Tuileries garden as snow falls over Paris
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Winter weather – in pictures US Workers deice a Southwest Airline aircraft at Midway Airport in Chicago
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Winter weather – in pictures Russia Amateur rugby players participate in a "snow rugby" tournament at Moscow's suburb of Zelenograd
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Winter weather – in pictures Germany Tourists stand on a view point at the 1838 metres high Wendelstein mountain near Bayrischzell, Bavaria
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Winter weather – in pictures Belgium Roofs are seen snow-covered near the Cinquantenaire Park in Brussels
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Winter weather – in pictures Nepal A woman tries to catch snowflakes with her tongue during a snowfall on Chandragiri Hills in Kathmandu
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Winter weather – in pictures UK A bus drives through a snow shower in London
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Winter weather – in pictures Ukraine A woman shields herself under an umbrella during a heavy snowfall in central Kiev
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Winter weather – in pictures US-Canada Ice and snow cover branches near the brink of the Horseshoe Falls, due to subzero temperatures in Niagara Falls
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Winter weather – in pictures Ukraine People cross a road during a heavy snowfall in central Kiev
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Winter weather – in pictures Germany Workers de-ice parts on a classic steam locomotive
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Winter weather – in pictures Lebanon Snow covered mountains of the Cedars area in the Lebanese mountains
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Winter weather – in pictures Czech Republic A man with a snow cutter cleans a road during a heavy snowfall in Velka Upa, Giant Mountains
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Winter weather – in pictures Germany A track vehicle of the German army provides food to a village near Berchtesgaden
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Winter weather – in pictures South Korea Tourists view snow-covered trees on Jeju Island
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Winter weather – in pictures Germany A man walks through piles of snow in the pedestrian zone in the city center of Berchtesgaden
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Winter weather – in pictures Austria A cat playing in the snow in Ramsau am Dachstein
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Winter weather – in pictures Germany A snowplough train is seen during heavy snowfalls in Miesbach
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Winter weather – in pictures Russia A woman walks in a park in the Moscow suburb
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Winter weather – in pictures Germany A no trespassing sign stands in the snow at the train station in Berchtesgaden
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Winter weather – in pictures Austria A man cleans a path at a cemetery from snow
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Winter weather – in pictures Poland Snow covers a Jesus Christ figure near Szczyrk
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Winter weather – in pictures Austrian-German border A military helicopter monitors the situation at the Austrian-German border at Kufstein
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Winter weather – in pictures Germany Two workers clean a pathway next to a regional train at the train station in Berchtesgaden
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Winter weather – in pictures Austria A man shovels snow on a rooftop during heavy snowfall in Filzmoos
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Winter weather – in pictures Austria A man clearing his car from the snow after heavy snowfalls in Ramsau
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Winter weather – in pictures India A Kashmiri boy rides a sleigh during a snowfall in Gagangeer
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Winter weather – in pictures Switzerland A sea of fog from the Moleson mountain in the canton of Fribourg
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Winter weather – in pictures Germany Workers try to clear rail tracks after heavy snowfalls in Schaftlach, near Munich
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Winter weather – in pictures Britain A train travels through rural Bath
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Winter weather – in pictures Switzerland A swam swims on the river Rhine in Schaffhausen
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Winter weather – in pictures Finland People walk in snow-covered streets of the city of Outokumpu amid snowfalls
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Winter weather – in pictures Greece Girls play with the snow outside during a heavy snowfall in Hortiatis
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Winter weather – in pictures Turkey Istanbul's Camlica mosque on the Asian side of the Bosphorus
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Winter weather – in pictures Russia People take a picture in the Siberian taiga forest
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Winter weather – in pictures Belarus People walk in the park as snow falls in Minsk
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Winter weather – in pictures Russia Trees covered with snow and hoarfrost on the island on Yenisei river d
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Winter weather – in pictures Greece Snow covers some parts of the ancient Acropolis hill and Plaka the tourist district of Athens
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Winter weather – in pictures Austria A snow-covered car is seen at a parking lot
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Winter weather – in pictures Switzerland A sea of fog from the Moleson mountain in the canton of Fribourg
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Winter weather – in pictures India A man walks through a paddy field during snowfall on a cold winter morning in Pattan, north of Srinagar
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Winter weather – in pictures India
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Winter weather – in pictures Greece Snow covers the statue of Alexander the Great at the seaside promenade of Thessaloniki
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Winter weather – in pictures Russia Fishermen walk along the frozen Yenisei river in the Siberian taiga area
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Winter weather – in pictures Greece People enjoy the snow at a park in northern Athens
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Tibetan villagers in the area depend heavily on livestock, mainly Yaks, goats and sheep, for their livelihoods and to feed their families.
Drapa Sum, director of the health center in Gyeldo County said: “Villagers were relieved to see doctors and vets come to their rescue.”
Tibet, which is home to some of the world's tallest mountains, including Mount Everest, gets bitterly cold in the winter.
Harsh winters are routine in the Himalayan region that long fell within Tibet 's traditional borders.
In the capital Beijing, only light snow fell although temperatures dipped below freezing.
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