Relief aid, including government funds and public donations, has
been pouring into flood-hit Wuzhou city on the upper reaches of the
Xijiang River, a
tributary of the Pearl River, in eastern
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
The regional and city governments had set up a fund of 13
million yuan (US$1.61 million) to ensure basic food and shelter for
the people who were forced to evacuate their homes, said Yu
Yuanhui, mayor of Wuzhou, on Monday.
In the meantime, more than 500 apartments have been made
available, and supplies such as quilts and clothing, as well as
money have been donated to the city, said Yu.
An unprecedented rainstorm lasting nine hours last Thursday
triggered landslides, mud flows and flash floods in the city,
leaving 14 people dead and 27 injured.
The deluge destroyed more than 6,704 houses and many
infrastructure facilities, and traffic was cut off or halted
temporarily in parts of the city.
About 100,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes. Most
were living in schoolrooms or makeshift shelters built on higher
ground, while some had chosen to live with relatives.
In the urban districts of Wuzhou, 21 temporary accommodation
centers have been opened to house some of the estimated 20,000
displaced people.
The direct economic losses caused by the floods are placed at 40
million yuan.
A local meteorological forecast warns of more torrential rains
on Wednesday.
(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2006)