The Asian Development Bank has granted a $200 million loan to China to support flood protection work in central Hunan province, the province hardest hit by recent floods in the wake of Tropical Storm Bilis.

At least 346 people have died in flooding in Hunan over the past two weeks as a result of Bilis, which authorities say killed at least 612 people across the country.

The loan will support flood management efforts by the Ministry of Water Resources and the provincial government, especially around Dongting Lake in the north of the province and along its four mountain rivers, the ADB said in a statement.

Richard Bolt, a senior sector economist with ADB, said Hunan urgently needed to improve its management and control of floods to secure its economic growth and development.

The project, which will cost a total of around US$497 million, will involve the construction of flood protection works as well as measures to improve forecasting and emergency response systems, the bank said.

It is due to be completed around September 2012.