In 2003, governments of all levels allocated a total of 5.29 billion yuan (about US$637 million) for disaster relief efforts across the country, an increase of 1.29 billion yuan (about US$155 million), or 32.3 percent, compared to the figure of the previous year.

According to figures jointly published by the National Statistical Bureau and the National Meteorological Bureau, in 2003,natural disasters affected 54.39 million hectares of farmland, of which 32.5 million hectares of cultivated land was damaged and 8.55 million hectares lost crops.

Natural calamities of different kinds affected a total of 490 million people, leaving 2,259 deaths and forcing 7.07 million people to be removed to safer places. The disasters damaged 4.43 million houses and caused a total financial loss of 188.42 billion yuan (about US$22.7 billion).

(Xinhua News Agency May 8, 2004)