China earmarks natural disaster aid

BEIJING - China's ministries of finance and civil affairs allocated 111 million yuan ($18 million) on Thursday to three regions as aid for residents affected by disasters.

The fund will be used for urgent resettlement, basic living needs and reconstruction of houses in Jilin and Hainan provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

A series of quakes measuring 5.0 or more hit the city of Songyuan in northeast China's Jilin in late October and November, leaving 12 people injured and causing damage to houses.

Five people in Hainan and two in Guangxi were killed after Typhoon Haiyan hit south China on November 10. Direct economic losses from the typhoon are estimated close to 4.5 billion yuan.

The National Disaster Reduction Commission and the Ministry of Civil Affairs sent thousands of tents, quilts, coats and heaters to the three regions.