Frost damages crops in southwest China

KUNMING -- Freezing weather, snow and frost have damaged 670,000 hectares of crops in Southwest China's Yunnan province, local authorities said Tuesday.

The weather also damaged tropical and subtropical cash crops such as coffee and rubber, flowers and vegetables, the provincial agricultural department said in a statement.

The freezing weather and frost have inflicted a direct economic loss of 11.8 billion yuan ($1.9 billion) to the agricultural, forestry, animal husbandry and fishing industries, it said.

The province experienced sharp temperature drops of up to 18 degrees as of December 14 and only saw temperature climb again late last week.

The cold weather, snows and frosts even killed 21,400 head of livestock, the agency added.