HEFEI, Nov. 17 (Xinhua) -- Heavy snows have wreaked havoc in east China's Anhui Province since Sunday, inflicting direct economic losses of 690 million yuan (101 million U.S. dollars).

    The snowstorms affected over 1.9 million people in eight cities in Anhui, forcing the relocation of 3,253 people and leading to the collapse of 366 houses.

    The snow also damaged 98,000 hectares of crops, the Anhui provincial bureau of civil affairs said Tuesday.

    Similar weather also inflicted direct economic losses of 144.7 million yuan in the central province of Hubei, damaging 73,020 hectares of crops.

    The heavy snows affected 1.2 million residents in Hubei, forcing 3,321 to relocate and leading to collapse of 1,630 houses, said the Hubei provincial bureau of civil affairs.