Relief supplies sent to flood-hit areas in NE China

Local residents check the condition of houses in Hongshi Town of Huadian City, northeast China's Jilin Province, Aug. 17, 2013. Fourteen people were killed in the flood that inundated a residential compound on Friday morning. Rescuers have been sent to the flood-hit area. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)

Chinese central authorities on Saturday sent relief supplies to floods-hit areas in northeast China's Liaoning and Jilin provinces.

The National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs issued a Level IV emergency disaster relief response at 17:00 p.m. Saturday, with a special work team dispatched to the region to guide local relief efforts.

A total of 3,000 tents, 5,000 cotton quilts, 2,000 folding beds and 3,000 sleeping bags were sent to help disaster victims.

Floods since Wednesday have claimed 13 lives and left nine missing in Jilin province, according to civil affairs bureau of the province.

The floods also forced the evacuation of 52,000 people and resulted in direct economic losses up to 2,400 million yuan (about 390 million U.S. dollars), with 89,000 people affected by the disaster, according to the bureau.

In neighboring province of Liaoning, the floods killed one person and another is missing, with 1.52 million people affected and 12,600 evacuated in the province, according to local civil affairs authorities.

Local civil affairs authorities also sent funds and relief supplies to the floods-hit areas.