Floods along the Huaihe River Valley have killed 16 people and caused direct economic losses of 18.17 billion yuan (US$2.19 billion), a report released yesterday said.

And with no sign of let-up in the torrential rain, tragedy struck in the southwest of the country with three workmen on the Sichuan-Tibet Highway confirmed dead and 13 missing following a mudslide.

The official disaster situation report issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs said that the 47.518 million inhabitants, mainly in Anhui, Jiangsu and Henan provinces through which the Huaihe River runs, have been hit by floods. Some 2.312 million have been trapped by flood waters, while around 843,000 people have been evacuated to safe areas, said the report.

By late Wednesday, 97.7 million yuan (US$11.8 million) had been appropriated for flood relief, of which 78 million yuan (US$9 million) comes from the central government, said sources with the Anhui provincial government.

Of the 575,000 Anhui inhabitants evacuated, 348,700 have taken refuge with their relatives and friends, 118,600 are living under makeshift cover, 76,500 have found accommodation in public housing, while the rest are staying in specially erected tents.

More efforts ought to be made to avert major threats posed by weakened embankments along the mainstream of the Huaihe River, which have been severely tested following weeks of flooding, said Qiu Ruitian, vice-director of the Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters. Meanwhile, the Lishui River, a major branch of the Yangtze River, which runs through Hunan Province, has also been hit by severe floods.

(HK Edition 07/11/2003 page1)

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