|
SEVERE snowstorms across China had killed 24 people by 2pm today with a direct economic loss mounting to 22.09 billion yuan (US$3.07 million), the Ministry of Civil Affairs said today.
Ten people were killed after houses collapsed under snow as 14 provinces in central, southern and eastern of China, regions used to milder winters, have been hit by snowstorms since January 10, the ministry said.
Another 10 died after slipping on icy roads. Two people drowned and the other two were killed by falling trees, the ministry added.
The snowstorms, the worst in 50 years, have affected 77.87 million people in the provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan, Hunan, Hubei, Guangxi, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Gansu and Qinghai. Chongqing Municipality and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were also hit by heavy snowfalls, according to the ministry.
More than 827,000 people have been relocated due to the snow as more than 107,000 houses collapsed during the past 18 days and another 399,000 houses were also damaged, the ministry said.
About 4.3 million hectares of crops were damaged during the storms, the ministry noted.
To make matters worse, the cold snap showed no signs of ending, and the China Meteorological Administration issued a "red alert" warning for snowstorms in these areas, including around Shanghai, which has recorded the most snow since 1984.
The administration cautioned people to "cut unnecessary outdoor activities," the administration said on its Website today.
The civil affairs ministry said the National Disaster Reduction Center, a body under the ministry, will arrange staff to be on 24-hour duty to monitor the storms and keep the State Council updated about the disaster.
The ministry allocated 14 million yuan to Hubei and Hunan, two of the worst hit provinces, on Friday.
Last Tuesday, the ministry allocated 1.75 billion yuan to help people get through the winter.
|
