East China's Jiangxi Province appealed on Sunday for more social aids to help 100,000 quake-afflicted residents pass the winter in Jiujiang, a city on the southern bank of the Yangtze River.

The quake has caused about 3 billion yuan (US$370.37 million) of economic losses and left about 100,000 people homeless, said Hu Zhenpeng, deputy governor of the province.

The municipal government of Jiujiang is rebuilding residences and shelters for the massive number of the homeless to pass the winter, while lack of enough funds was slowing down the work, the local officials said.

More social aids are in urgent need to house the quake-hit homeless people as bitter cold is approaching, the officials said.

An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale hit the cities of Jiujiang and Ruichang in east China's Jiangxi Province on Nov. 26, killing 13 people and destroying many buildings.

(Xinhua News Agency December 12, 2005)