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Nearly 90,000 killed in natural disasters in '08

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-05 19:18

BEIJING -- The Ministry of Civil Affairs announced on Thursday that 88,928 people were killed or missing in natural disasters in 2008, including those who were killed during the 8.0-magnitude earthquake that shook southwestern Sichuan Province in May.

Villagers are seen in their new houses at Qipan village in Xiang'e town of Dujiangyan City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Wednesday Januray 21, 2009. About 88,928 people were killed or missing in natural disasters in 2008, including those who were killed during the 8.0-magnitude earthquake that shook southwestern Sichuan Province in May. [Xinhua]

The disasters caused direct economic losses of about 1,350 billion yuan (US$198 billion), up 473.3 percent against the figure of 2007, the ministry said.

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The ministry and local civil affairs bureaus invested 30.38 billion yuan (US$4.46 billion) for disaster relief, and administered aid to 80 million people.

They also helped relocate 26.82 million people from disaster-hit areas to safe places.

The earthquake, which centered in Wenchuan County in Sichuan, hit on May 12. It left more than 69,000 people dead, 374,000 injured, 18,000 missing and millions homeless.