Heavy snow has affected more than one million people in eastern and central China Monday, damaging crops and delaying air travel.

About 663,000 residents in east China's Anhui Province were affected, with direct economic losses amounting to 60.8 million yuan ($8.9 million), local authorities said.

Snowstorms also forced the relocation of 393 people and led to the collapse of 113 houses in Anhui.

Luogang Airport in Hefei, capital of Anhui, was temporarily closed on Monday morning.

Snow in Jiuhuashan in Anhui was as deep as 30 cm.

Snowstorms also affected about 533,000 residents in the central province of Hubei, causing a direct economic loss of 74.8 million yuan.

Heavy snow damaged 18,716 hectares of crops, forced the relocation of 1,799 residents and led to the collapse of 878 houses in Hubei.

(Xinhua News Agency November 17, 2009)