Natural disasters affect 66,000 in China in January

BEIJING -- Natural disasters killed seven people and affected 66,000 in China last month, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

Natural disasters, including earthquakes, floods, forest fires and hail, destroyed over 3,100 houses and damaged 5,000 hectares of crops, the ministry said.

The natural disasters caused direct economic losses of 180 million yuan (about $26.7 million).

Casualties and losses for January averaged less than the same period over the previous five years, the ministry said.