More relief funds set aside for icy rain-hit south, draught-affected north regions in China

China allocated 1.039 billion yuan (157.66 million U.S. dollars) in additional funds to the icy rain-hit south and draught-affected north regions, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said Thursday.

The funds, allocated jointly by the MOF and Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA), will mainly subsidize residents of the disaster-affected regions to buy food, clothing and warming facilities.

The ministries had allocated 4.1 billion yuan for relief funds to these regions last November.

By the middle of January, freezing weather had left at least two people dead and forced the evacuation of 233,000 people from their homes in south China provinces, including Hunan, Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan, as well as Chongqing Municipality and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, according to the MCA.

Also, draught has been widespread in nine provinces since October last year, including Shanxi, Shandong, Hebei, Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu.

Rainfall in the six provinces averaged only 40.2 millimeters since October last year, down 53 percent compared with previous years, according to the National Climate Center.

Source: Xinhua