HEFEI, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Heavy snow has killed 13 people in east China's Anhui Province since Jan. 3, the provincial government announced on Friday.

The worst snowstorms since 2008 have so far affected 1.06 million people in the province, causing direct economic losses of 1.26 billion yuan (190 million U.S. dollars), and 790 million yuan (122 million U.S. dollars) of losses in agriculture.

Nine cities including capital Hefei initiated emergency responses due to the snow.

Besides Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu and Shaanxi provinces have all suffered from heavy snow this week.