Subsidies allocated for rainstorm victims

BEIJING - The Chinese ministries of finance and civil affairs on Monday allocated 450 million yuan ($72.97 million) as subsidies for residents worst hit by recent rain-triggered floods and landslides.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs said the subsidies were earmarked for those affected in Southwest China's Sichuan province and Chongqing Municipality, the central Hubei Province, and Anhui Province in the east.

The money will be used to help people through emergency relocation, transitional settlement, reconstruction of damaged houses and to console those who lost loved ones to the disasters, the ministry said.

Torrential rain that started sweeping across the country from July 7 has led to floods and landslides.

So far, the Ministry of Civil Affairs has sent seven work groups to guide disaster-relief operations in the worst-hit regions, and arranged tents, cotton quilts, and beds to help victims.