Funds appropriated to repair Tianjin apartments

TIANJIN - The first round of funding has been appropriated to repair apartments severely damaged in the deadly Tianjin explosions last month, the local government said on Wednesday.

All apartments have been appraised and homeowners are expected to be offered compensation based on the severity of damage, according to the housing management bureau of Binhai New Area, where the blasts occurred.

Residents can either sell their homes to an alliance of property developers or have the government renovate them free of charge.

So far, 36 households have returned to their homes after renovation.

Compensation will continue during the upcoming seven-day National Day holiday.

Two blasts tore through a warehouse that was storing large amounts of toxic chemicals at Tianjin Port late on Aug. 12.

The blasts killed a total of 165 people, including 99 firefighters and 11 police officers.