China's snow-hit south now 'stable', damage serious

BEIJING, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- A Ministry of Civil Affairs official said on Tuesday that China's snow-hit southern provinces were in stable condition, but the damage remained serious.

The country's post-snow disaster-relief work would focus on taking care of people's basic livelihood and reconstruction, said Wang Zhenyao, director of the disaster alleviation office under the ministry.

A reconstruction plan would be formed before April and basic reconstruction would be finished by the end of June, said Wang during an interview on central government's website.

He said the reconstruction should reach to the grassroots and "no one shall be ignored".

Wang warned locals against derived disasters and called for proper arrangements for people's livelihood to be restored in the worst-hit provinces. Houses needed to be rebuilt and the reconstruction was urgent.

According to ministry statistics, about 17 million people needed to be subsidized by the government in the worst-hit provinces and areas.

Winter storms have reaped havoc on the country's central, south and southwest since mid-January. The snow disaster claimed 129 lives, devastated 485,000 houses and damaged about 25 million mu in crops (about 1.67 million hectare), leading to a direct economic loss of 151.6 billion yuan (about 20.8 billion U.S. dollars).