China allocates 30m yuan to Sichuan for earthquake relief

BEIJING -- China on Thursday earmarked 30 million yuan ($4.47 million) of its central disaster-relief budget for the southwestern province of Sichuan, after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Ya'an city in the province.

The emergency funds, allocated by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management, will be used to support local disaster relief efforts.

Four people have been confirmed dead and 41 others injured as of 3 pm Thursday, after the earthquake hit Ya'an on Wednesday afternoon.

More than 13,000 people in Ya'an have been affected by the earthquake, according to local authorities.