The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) received 103 million yuan (12.4 million US dollars) in overseas donations in 1999 to benefit more than two million disaster victims, according to a RCSC official.

The funds donated by foreign countries, as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan, were spent on disaster-relief goods such as rice, medicines, winter clothing and quilts, Wang Lizhong, vice president of the RCSC, told the press January 21.

Statistics from the Ministry of Civil Affairs showed that 2,966 people were killed and 353 million people affected last year by natural disasters ranging from floods, earthquakes, wind storms, and drought to hailstorms.

Economic losses caused by the disasters totaled 196.2 billion yuan. More than 100,000 people lost their homes in earthquakes in Shanxi and Liaoning provinces.

Wang Lizhong said the RCSC had published bank account numbers for donations and donation hotlines, reported disaster conditions to the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and submitted claims for international aid through the United Nations.