China gives 16.5 mln USD to quake victims

The central government on Thursday appropriated 100 million yuan (16.5 million US dollars) to Songyuan city in northeast China's Jilin province, which was hit by earthquakes last month.

The funds will be used to resettle residents, subsidize daily needs of disaster victims and rebuild houses, according the finance and the civil affairs ministries.

Two earthquakes measuring 5.8 and 5 in magnitude struck Songyuan at 6:04 and 6:32 a.m on Nov. 23, followed by a series of aftershocks.

The National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs initiated emergency response on that day and had sent 5,000 quilts, 15,000 cotton coats and 1,000 heaters to the quake zone.