Flood Kills 36 In NW China

Devastating floods in the counties of Dangchang and Minxian in northwest China's Gansu Province on May 31 killed 36 persons and left thousands homeless.

The worst flooding in 150 years destroyed 1,345 houses and affected 180,000 people in the two counties, 400 km from the provincial capital of Lanzhou, according to sources from the provincial disaster-relief working group.

Direct economic losses were estimated at 178 million yuan (21. 45 million US dollars).

The provincial government has mobilized 5 million yuan (602,400 dollars), 800 quilts, 10,000 clothes, 120 tents and other disaster- relief materials for flooding victims.

No cases of epidemic diseases have been reported in the flooding area thus far.



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