A total of 3,186 people were killed by natural disasters in
China last year, an increase of 28.7 percent from the previous
year, according to a report by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Natural disasters, mainly typhoons, floods, and droughts, hit 41
million hectares of farmland and destroyed more than 1.9 million
houses, causing direct economic losses of 252.8 billion yuan (about
US$32.4 billion), up 23.8 percent year-on-year, said the report
made public on Wednesday.
The report also showed that local governments have evacuated or
resettled 13.8 million people affected by natural disasters in
2006, and about 1.89 million houses were repaired.
The economic losses were the second most after 1998 when floods
caused about 300 billion yuan in damages, the report said.
(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2007)