China enhances disaster relief for flood-hit areas as winter approaches

Aerial photo shows rescuers fortifying temporary dyke against the flood at Lianbo Village in Hejin City, north China's Shanxi Province, Oct. 10, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan)

BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Chinese authorities have enhanced disaster relief and emergency aid for areas hit by floods to ensure people stay safe and warm in the winter, an official said on Monday.

China has seen more severe flooding in 2021 than in previous years, with 590 people dead or missing as a result of floods in the first 10 months of the year, Zhou Xuewen, vice minister of the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM), told a press conference.

A total of 58.9 million people were affected by flooding in China in the January-October period, and 3.52 million people were evacuated to safe places. Some 203,000 houses collapsed due to floods during the period, according to Zhou.

Zhou said the MEM and the Ministry of Finance are allocating disaster-relief funds from the country's central budget, and areas hit heavily by flooding will be given preferential support.

Disaster-relief supplies including 237,000 cotton quilts and overcoats have been allocated to related provincial-level regions before the arrival of a cold wave, Zhou said.