China allocates 180m yuan in emergency relief for typhoon, drought-hit regions

BEIJING - China's Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Emergency Management on Monday allocated 180 million yuan ($26.52 million) from the central natural disaster relief fund to support disaster-hit areas across the country.

The move comes as eastern China deals with torrential rain and severe flooding caused by Typhoon Dolphin, the 13th typhoon of the year, while parts of northwestern China continue to grapple with prolonged drought.

Of the total, 120 million yuan was earmarked for five provinces -- Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, and Jiangxi -- to support emergency response and rescue efforts following the flooding and typhoon damage.

The funds will mainly cover search and rescue operations, evacuation and temporary shelter of displaced residents, hazard mitigation and urgent risk removal, safety inspections to prevent secondary disasters and repairs to damaged and collapsed homes.

The remaining 60 million yuan was allocated to Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps to address ongoing drought conditions.

The funding will be used primarily to ensure drinking water access for urban and rural residents, including the purchase and rental of emergency equipment for water storage, purification and supply, and the deployment of personnel to secure household water supplies for affected communities.

The two ministries urged local authorities to use the funds efficiently and transparently to maximize their impact on protecting lives and livelihoods.