Hail and rainstorms have killed 12 people and caused huge
economic losses in east China's Shandong Province since last week.
The natural disasters hit the province's five cities of Heze,
Linyi, Zaozhuang, Jining and Liaocheng from Wednesday to
Friday.
According the provincial department of civil affairs, 2.18
million people have been affected by the disasters, among whom 12
died and 58 others were seriously injured.
The hail and rainstorms destroyed 3,243 houses and brought harm
to 155,000 hectares of farmland, resulting in a direct economic
loss of 2.2 billion yuan (US$271 million).
The provincial government has already sent working teams to the
disaster-hit areas to organize relief work and relocate the
homeless.
(Xinhua News Agency May 1, 2006)