Natural disasters kill at least 715 in China
20/7/2007 9:34
Mother Nature has claimed a heavy toll in China so far this year, the
Ministry of Civil Affairs reported yesterday, even as continued flooding brought
in new reports of tragedy.
At least 715 people have died so far in
natural disasters, and 129 people remain missing, the ministry said.
The
figures, compiled through Monday, also showed that 4.45 million people were
forced to leave their homes as a result of floods, landslides, droughts, gales,
snowstorms and earthquakes.
More than 533,000 houses collapsed, and more
than 26 million hectares of farmland were damaged.
Total direct losses
amounted to 73.58 billion yuan (US$9.73 billion), the ministry said.
The
government has set aside 805 million yuan so far to help the flood-stricken
areas.
Authorities yesterday allocated 40 million yuan alone for
flood-relief work in Chongqing Municipality in the southwest, the ministry
said.
Thirty-seven people have been killed and 14 are missing following
fierce rainstorms that hit Chongqing, the ministry reported
yesterday.
More than 29,500 houses were destroyed, and 183,000 hectares
of crops were damaged, with direct economic losses exceeding 2.4 billion
yuan.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has sent four teams to
flood-soaked areas, including Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, to provide medical
services.
Continuous rains have triggered floods and landslides in
China's southwest, central and eastern regions, leading to heavy loss of life
and property.
In east China's Anhui Province yesterday, rising water in
the Huaihe River forced another 67,000 people to flee their
homes.
Residents evacuated in 15,300 tractors and trucks loaded with
furniture, home appliances, food, bedding and livestock.
A cofferdam
burst along the Huaihe in Anhui's Fengtai County, flooding five villages,
authorities said yesterday.
All 2,000 residents from the villages were
evacuated on Sunday, and no casualties were reported.
On Wednesday, 22
people were killed, six were reported missing and 142 were injured as rainstorms
hit Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province.
The city and its
surroundings received a record 180 millimeters of rainfall in three hours,
Jinan's meteorological bureau said. Across the province, 32 people were reported
dead and 10 were missing.
The rainstorm also cut off traffic, electricity
and water supply for three hours, the government said.
Eleven people were
killed, one is missing and more than 100 were injured by rainstorms that have
hit northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region since
Saturday.
More than 23,000 houses were destroyed, and 12,000 hectares of
crops were damaged, with direct economic losses exceeding 347 million
yuan.
Xinhua/Shanghai Daily
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