Nanning, Feb 24 (IANS): More than 58,000 locals in south China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region had been affected by the extreme cold weather, said the region's emergency management department.

THe people had been affected in South China's Guangxi Zhuang as of Tuesday 5 p.m. since February 18. Meanwhile, the freezing weather inflicted damage on more than 1,360 hectares of crops. Thirteen cities and 45 county-level regions in Guangxi had logged a total direct economic loss of more than 63 million yuan (about $10 million) caused by the extreme weather, the department added.

About 4,000 personnel from Guangxi's electric power sector have participated in deciding the work of the region's electric power lines. Currently, 26 out of the 62 highways interrupted by the extreme cold have seen traffic resumed, and further repair work is still underway, Xinhua news agency reported.

Starting from February 18, most of the region has seen rainy days, with parts of Guangxi experiencing heavy rainfall and rainstorms. Some mountainous areas in the northern part of Guangxi have reported icy road conditions or sleet.