China allocates emergency funds for flood recovery in northeast provinces

BEIJING, Aug. 4 -- China has earmarked 50 million yuan (about 7.36 million U.S. dollars) in central government funds to support post-disaster recovery in flood-hit Heilongjiang Province in the northeast, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) said Tuesday.

The funds will be primarily used for the restoration of damaged roads, water conservancy facilities and other infrastructure, as well as public service facilities such as schools and hospitals, to help bring normal life and production back as quickly as possible.

The allocation followed days of heavy rainfall that caused flooding across much of Heilongjiang. Also on Tuesday, the National Commission for Disaster Prevention, Reduction and Relief activated a Level-IV emergency response for disaster relief in the province.

The commission also announced an additional 300 million yuan in central funds for flood-hit Liaoning and Jilin provinces, also in the northeast. That follows two earlier allocations totaling 60 million yuan on July 14 and 15.