Related reading: Sandstorm strikes NW China

URUMQI - Traffic was disrupted on two trunk railway lines in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region when strong winds swept through the region on Thursday, stranding nine passenger trains running on the two routes.

The exact number of people aboard the trains is not immediately known.

Strong gales caused three trains on Lanxin (Lanzhou-Urumqi) Railway, a trunk railway linking Urumqi, capital of Xinjiang, with Lanzhou in Gansu Province, to become stranded en route to the city of Urumqi around 12:30 pm, said a source from Urumqi Railways Administration.

Starting 8:25 a.m. Thursday, another five trains running on the Nanjiang (Southern Xinjiang) Railway, which starts from Turpan city, extends westwardly along the southern foot of the mighty Tianshan Mount Range and ends at Kashi of Xinjiang, were also forced to be halted from service because of the strong winds and to seek shelter.

The source with the Urumqi Railway Administration said the paralyzed passenger trains had been supplied with extra water and food, but they couldn't resume service until the winds become subdued.