Heavy Snows Damage One-Tenth of China's Forests

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BEIJING, China, February 19, 2008 (ENS) - The worst winter in 50 years has cost China's forestry sector 57.3 billion yuan (about US$8 billion) and could affect China's forests for the next three to five years, the State Forestry Administration said in a news conference here today.
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As of February 1, the People's Liberation Army of China had deployed 306,000 soldiers to combat the effects of the snow in the southern parts of the country.

Irregular tactics, including shooting power lines with submachine guns to shatter the ice, and using tanks to crush ice on the road, were used frequently by the soldiers, a military source said.