The government allocated a further 95 million yuan ($12.5 million) yesterday to fund disaster-relief work in flood-hit Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces, a spokesman for the Ministry of Civil Affairs said.

The government had already earmarked 232 million yuan on Wednesday for these areas.

The people in flood-stricken areas have been properly relocated, according to the spokesman.

Related readings: Half a million people moved Homes submerged to diverge flood Heavy storm ravages Chongqing 7 more killed as floods continue unabated Death toll rises to 101 in flood-hit south China Flood water discharged from Three Gorges Dam More rains forecast for flood-hit areas of China 26 dead in SW China flood Flood warning issued China issues flood warning for Huaihe River

President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have issued instructions saying saving people's lives should be the priority in all flood-response work.

The government also sent several working teams to flood-stricken areas to guide disaster relief work. One of the teams, headed by Civil Affairs Minister Li Xueju, arrived in Anhui on Wednesday.

Torrential rain began lashing the Huaihe River valley, the eastern area of Sichuan Province and the southern area of Shaanxi Province on June 28.

Anhui Province yesterday diverted river water into its seventh buffer zone, Yaojiawan, to ensure the safety of the millions of people living downstream.

The flood is expected to enter Jiangsu Province in another two days, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said.

And 42 people have died and 25 are missing in floods in Southwest China's Sichuan Province, Governor Jiang Jufeng said yesterday.

Twelve million people in 55 counties have been affected by rainstorms and floods, which caused losses estimated at 3.6 billion yuan, said Jiang.

Rainstorms began to hit Sichuan on July 2, and 43 counties had recorded precipitation of more than 100 mm by Wednesday. Four counties received more than 400 mm, the governor said.

Rainstorms caused floods in many areas. In Tongjiang County the flooding was the worst in 80 years.

Rainstorms also triggered 1,690 landslides and mud-rock flows.

More than 150,000 people in Qujiang, seat of Quxian county, escaped early morning floods on Saturday thanks to timely warnings delivered by mobile-phone text messages, loudspeakers and door-to-door visits.

The flood hit Qujiang at 3 am, submerging two thirds of the town's streets and inundating the ground floors of many homes, but no casualties were reported.

The Sichuan provincial government has earmarked 10 million yuan to help residents of Bazhong, which was also badly affected.

More than 66.3 million people have been affected by floods this summer, according to latest figures from the Civil Affairs Ministry.

China Daily-Agencies

(China Daily 07/13/2007 page3)