Chinese authorities have begun to deploy disaster relief teams to regions hit by heavy snowstorms, the civil affairs ministry said on January 13.

The ministry and the National Disaster Reduction Commission began the level-IV national disaster emergency response to assist local relief work, as heavy snows and cold weather continue to grip the northern regions.

Across 12 regions including Beijing, Inner Mongolia and northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, 4.67 million people have been affected, six have died and 13,000 have been relocated.

The storms destroyed 4,000 homes and damaged another 27,000, causing economic losses estimated at 1.4 billion yuan ($205 million).

The Ministry of Civil Affairs has so far sent 7,000 tents, 40,000 cotton-padded quilts and coats to the storm-hit regions.