Chinese govt allocates disaster relief funding

BEIJING - The ministries of finance and civil affairs on Monday jointly allocated 1.46 billion yuan ($243 million) to provide living support for residents in disaster-hit regions.

Monday's fund is the last batch of a planned 7.3 billion yuan that has all been allocated as natural disaster relief funds for the winter and spring period, according to a statement from the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

It urged local governments to pass on the money to each disaster-hit resident in a timely manner to ensure that they spend a safe and warm winter.

Official figures show that natural disasters, including droughts, bitter cold, snowstorms and earthquakes, affected more than two million people and forced the relocation of 3,000 across China in January. It also damaged houses and crops.