Former Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk on Thursday donated 50,000 US dollars to China for disasters relief in snow stricken areas, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing on Friday.

Sihanouk expressed his condolence for Chinese people in a letter to Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, and made the donation to China's humanitarian institution under his name.

China has been threatened by heavy snow that has fallen since mid-January, the worst in five decades.

The severe weather had killed 38 people and resulted in the direct economic loss of 32.67 billion yuan (4.5 billion US dollars) in 17 provinces, regions, and municipalities by Wednesday afternoon, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
 
(Xinhua News Agency February 1, 2008)