Rescuers are battling chilly weather and heavy snow to bring the much-needed help and supplies to those affected by the recent blizzard in southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region.

Local residents clear away snow in Nyalam County, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Feb. 12, 2012. Nyalam County was hit by a heavy snowfall on Feb. 7-9. [Xinhua]?

As of Sunday morning, rescuers have brought 39 vehicles and 294 people to safety, local officials said.

Local authorities have sent supply materials, including 256 tents, 885 quilts and blankets, more than 3,500 cotton-padded coats and 290,000 kg of grain, to the affected population, on foot, wheels or horseback.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Civil Affairs has also distributed 1,000 cotton tents and 10,000 cotton-padded quilts to the blizzard-hit area.

The government of Tibet Autonomous Region has earmarked 10 million yuan (1.59 million U.S. dollars) for the rescue work in Xigaze Prefecture, where 3 people were killed, nearly 70 got injured or sick due to the heavy snow, the authorities said.

Another 68,000 people from 12 counties were affected by the blizzard that has been pounding the area since Feb. 7, according to officials with the regional government.

The rescue teams sent by the regional government and prefectural government have rushed to the affected areas to make sure that all the affected people can have access to basic life necessities and medical services, they said.

More than 2,500 people were relocated as a total of 689 houses were destroyed or damaged, and 20,000 heads of livestock were killed as of Sunday morning, the authorities said.

In the hard-hit Nyalam county, snow hit again Sunday afternoon, where the road from Nyalam to Zham township was still blocked due to thick snow.

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