Donations from overseas Chinese to assist disaster relief in parts of China hit by severe winter weather have reached 170 million yuan (24 million U.S. dollars), according to the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council.

Since mid-January, 19 provinces, many in the south of the country, have experienced lingering low temperatures, heavy snow and freezing rain, which have left 129 people dead and caused 151.65 billion yuan in losses.

On Jan. 31, a group of overseas Chinese-funded companies made their first donations to the State Council office, which initiated a program encouraging overseas Chinese to contribute.

By Friday, the office had received 130 million yuan in cash and 40 million yuan worth of materials.

Some of the money has been given to the families of power industry workers who died repairing power lines.

(Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2008)