China allocates 220m yuan for flood relief

BEIJING -- China's central government has allocated a relief fund totaling 220 million yuan (about $32 million) to flood-hit Shandong and Anhui provinces on Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

The Ministry of Finance and the emergency ministry have given Shandong and Anhui 150 million yuan and 70 million yuan, respectively.

The funds were dispersed from the central government's budget and will be used for relocation of the affected, emergency livelihood support, rebuilding of damaged homes and compensation for the deceased, according to the ministry.

China's disaster relief authorities have launched a level IV emergency response for the severe floods in those two provinces, sending multiple workgroups and allocating disaster relief materials including 3,000 tents, 5,000 fold-away beds and 80,000 garments and quilts.

As of Aug 23, some 2.6 million people in Anhui had been affected by floods, with 12 dead and one missing. In Shandong, about 3.8 million people are affected, with six dead and 15 missing, according to local authorities.