The Ministry of Civil Affairs and Mninistry of Finance on Thursday allocated another 137 million yuan (US$17 million) to disaster-hit Fujian, Zhejiang, Jilin,Yunnan and Qinghai provinces.

The fund will be used to help people in these regions, which have been repeatedly plagued by floods or earthquakes, to rebuild their homes, according to an official with the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The ministry has sent work teams to Fujian, Hunan and Zhejiang provinces to supervise local reconstruction and to ensure the funds are used properly.

China's central government have allocated 3.1 billion yuan (US$392million) for disaster relief and reconstruction work in recent months.

"This year China has suffered the most severe natural disasters since 1998," Li Liguo, vice-minister of Civil Affairs, told Xinhua.

Statistics from the ministry showed that up to September 11, natural disasters had killed 2,295 Chinese people and left 564 missing.

The disasters caused direct economic losses of 191.8 billion yuan and over 13.2 million people were evacuated and relocated. Almost six million houses were severely damaged or destroyed.

An unusually severe typhoon season in China was the biggest culprit, triggering flooding and landslides in eastern, central and southern areas.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2006)