Hail and rainstorms have killed 12 people and caused huge economic losses in east China's Shandong Province since last week.

 

The natural disasters hit the province's five cities of Heze, Linyi, Zaozhuang, Jining and Liaocheng from Wednesday to Friday.

 

According the provincial department of civil affairs, 2.18 million people have been affected by the disasters, among whom 12 died and 58 others were seriously injured.

 

The hail and rainstorms destroyed 3,243 houses and brought harm to 155,000 hectares of farmland, resulting in a direct economic loss of 2.2 billion yuan (US$271 million).

 

The provincial government has already sent working teams to the disaster-hit areas to organize relief work and relocate the homeless.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 1, 2006)