Relief aid, including government funds and public donations, has been pouring into flood-hit Wuzhou city on the upper reaches of the Xijiang River, a tributary of the Pearl River, in eastern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

 

The regional and city governments had set up a fund of 13 million yuan (US$1.61 million) to ensure basic food and shelter for the people who were forced to evacuate their homes, said Yu Yuanhui, mayor of Wuzhou, on Monday.

 

In the meantime, more than 500 apartments have been made available, and supplies such as quilts and clothing, as well as money have been donated to the city, said Yu.

 

An unprecedented rainstorm lasting nine hours last Thursday triggered landslides, mud flows and flash floods in the city, leaving 14 people dead and 27 injured.

 

The deluge destroyed more than 6,704 houses and many infrastructure facilities, and traffic was cut off or halted temporarily in parts of the city.

 

About 100,000 people were forced to evacuate their homes. Most were living in schoolrooms or makeshift shelters built on higher ground, while some had chosen to live with relatives.

 

In the urban districts of Wuzhou, 21 temporary accommodation centers have been opened to house some of the estimated 20,000 displaced people.

 

The direct economic losses caused by the floods are placed at 40 million yuan.

 

A local meteorological forecast warns of more torrential rains on Wednesday.

 

(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2006)