In China, sandstorms have swept part of northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region since Thursday morning affecting highway traffic.A spokesman of the local meteorological bureau said the Turpan Prefecture, a well-known tourist destination in the region, has been blanketed in yellow dust since Thursday morning. He said furious winds carrying sands damaged telegraph poles and trees, and forced vehicles to slow down. According to the spokesman, many vehicles are stranded at a section of highway linking the city of Lianyungang in eastern Jiangsu Province and Xinjiang's port of Horgos, as visibility has been reduced to less than five meters.He said the sandstorms were caused by severe convective weather and winds were moving at speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour.