The death toll has risen to 38 in the devastating mudslide that hit the countryside near Yueqing City in east China's Zhejiang Province last Friday. Nine villagers remain missing, local sources confirmed on Thursday.

By noon Thursday, the three townships of Longxi, Fuxi and Xianxi, which were badly damaged by the avalanche of mud and rock, had restored power, road access and communications, according to the Flood and Drought Control Office of Yueqing City.

The mudslide was caused by the heavy rainfall from Typhoon Rananim, which ravaged the province on August 12.

According to the Flood and Drought Control Office, the disaster struck three mountain townships in the northern section of the city early in the morning of August 13, killing 25 villagers immediately.

The Yueqing municipal government has allocated 30 million yuan (US$3.6 million) in relief funds and assigned more than 300 people to search for the missing villagers and restore infrastructure.

Each victim's family has received an allowance of 20,000 yuan (US$2,400) from the government, according to Mayor Huang Zhengqiang.

The government also issued rice, pork, salt, vegetables and mineral water to the villages, as the catastrophe cut off water and food supplies.

Huang said the municipal government plans to relocate several of the villages to safer locations before February 2005. Meanwhile, the municipal government has solicited donations from local enterprises and asked the villagers to help themselves and resume production as soon as possible.

(Xinhua News Agency August 20, 2004)