The Ministry of Civil Affairs has rushed relief materials and task forces to northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and northeast China's Liaoning Province, where recent floods and ensuing disasters have affected more than 2 .4 million people.

"We have dispatched working teams to those areas to observe the disaster situation and coordinate relief efforts. In addition, we have also sent 3,000 tents to Xinjiang and 1,000 tents to Liaoning," said an official with the ministry.

He said the local governments have also taken actions on their own to cope with the disasters, sending personnel as well relief materials.

Floods and mudslides from August 6 to 9 in Xinjiang have affected 251,000 people with seven people killed, one missing, 106,000 evacuated, 25,000 houses destroyed and 26,000 hectares of crops ravaged.

Two rounds of floods and mudslides in Liaoning from August 6 to 13 have affected 2.15 million people with nine people killed, 23 missing, 18 severely wounded, 270,000 evacuated, 26,000 houses destroyed and 326,000 hectares of crops ravaged. Direct economic losses are estimated at approximately 2 billion yuan (approximately US$246.6 million).

The official said the relief actions have been taken in line with a national contingency program to cope with natural disasters.
 
(Xinhua News Agency August 15, 2005)