Wed, May 16, 2012
BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Rainstorms have left 102 people dead and another 30 missing across China since late April, a national disaster relief agency said Wednesday.
As of Wednesday, heavy rains accompanying thunder, hail and strong winds have hit a large portion of China and affected about 13 million people, including 820,000 who needed relief efforts, said a statement from the Office of the National Committee for Disaster Reduction.
Stormy weather struck 147 counties in 22 provincial divisions in China and triggered flooding and landslides. East China's Jiangxi province, central Hunan province and northwestern Gansu province were the worst hit, the statement said.
Economic losses are estimated at 16.88 billion yuan (2.68 billion U.S. dollars) with more than 143,000 houses badly damaged and 949,400 hectares of farmland affected.
The central government has sent several teams to affected provinces to help carry out relief work, the statement said.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs allocated 380 million yuan in relief funds to the three worst-hit provinces on Tuesday.
The money will be used to evacuate disaster-affected people, provide allowances for them, rebuild damaged houses and compensate the families of the dead, the ministry said.
