PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL<br/> <br />A severe sandstorm sweeps across parts of Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region in northwest China.<br/> <br />State broadcaster CCTV said winds up to 80 kilometres an hour brought with them a cloud of sand, bringing visibility down to just 100 metres.<br/> <br />Local passenger services were halted and traffic restrictions imposed on main roads.<br/> <br />Schools were also forced to close.<br/> <br />Sandstorms are a regular Spring feature in northern China, made worse by desertification as temperatures rise and water sources dwindle.<br/> <br />The government has spent millions of dollars trying to stop the desert expansion, by planting trees and protecting plant cover in marginal areas.<br/> <br />Paul Chapman, Reuters
