The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) has opened a bank account for public donations to help deal with the havoc caused by flooding in the west.

The provinces of Shaanxi, Sichuan, Hubei and Guizhou and Chongqing Municipality suffered heavy losses after the disaster caused by torrential downpours earlier this month.

In accordance with RCSC regulations, a hotline with the number 010-65139999 has been opened for donation information.

So far, the RCSC has allocated 150,000 yuan (US$18,000) to buy medicine and food for flooding victims, and 50 tents have been sent to those areas.

Meanwhile, the Hong Kong Red Cross Society has donated 200,000 yuan (US$24,000) in relief funds, and clothes and sleeping bags worth 200,000 HK dollars (US$25,000) to Shaanxi and Sichuan.

The RCSC has asked its local branches across the nation to join the relief work.

Telephone Number: (86)10-65139999

Bank: the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), Dongsi Nan Branch Beijing

Bank Account Name: the Red Cross Society of China (RCSC)

Bank Account Number: 02000010090144132-52

Mail: redcross@chineseredcross.org.cn

(People's Daily June 19, 2002)