East China's Shandong Province has allocated 5 million yuan (US$610,000) in relief and reconstruction funding to areas severely hit by hail and rainstorms last week.

The money was allocated to Heze, Linyi, Zaozhuang, Jining and Liaocheng cities, which were hit by the heavy weather from Wednesday to Friday, a provincial finance department official said.

The provincial government is instructing local authorities to use the money to rehouse people who lost their homes, and to assist those affected.

At least 17 people died and 247 were injured in the storms, which affected about 2.4 million people, according to the provincial civil affairs department.

The storms destroyed 36,900 hectares of crops, and incurred direct economic losses of 2.5 billion yuan (US$300 million). 
 
(Xinhua New Agency May 4, 2006)