Natural disasters in China have left 2,145 people dead and caused economic losses of 188.6 billion yuan (US$22.7 billion) in total so far this year, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said Friday.  

The ministry said natural disasters damaged 60 million hectares of farmland, while displacing over seven million people and toppling 3.48 million rooms.

Yang Qianyin, vice minister of civil affairs, said at a national relief work meeting on Friday that the ministry has sent 51 relief work teams to 18 provinces that suffered disasters like earthquake, flood, drought, landslide and mud-rock flow.

The central government has given a total of 3 billion yuan (US$361 million) for relief funds and 122,000 tents for shelters in disaster-hit areas, assuring supplies of food, drinking water, warming items and medical treatment.

Yang said the ministry was working hard with local governments to provide adequate housing for people who lost their homes in disasters to live through this winter and to provide enough food for victims in disaster-affected areas.

(Xinhua News Agency November 15, 2003)