China's Ministry of Finance, together with the Ministry of Emergency Management, allocated 5.48 billion yuan ($784.6 million) of central natural disaster relief funds to ensure a safe and warm winter for people affected by natural disasters, according to an announcement by the ministry on Thursday.

According to the announcement, the two ministries told relevant local government departments to actively distribute the winter and spring relief work, urgently release relief funds to people in need, and strengthen the supervision of funds to prohibit retention and misappropriation.

Entering November, the country had four cold waves, which caused disasters and even casualties in some areas due to intense cooling, wind, and widespread rain and snow. For instance, a blizzard in Altay city, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, caused casualties, and some livestock froze to death, according to China Media Group (CMG).

The Ministry of Emergency Management said on December 12 that in November, natural disasters in China were dominated by cold waves and snowstorms, and drought, while typhoons as well as earthquakes also occurred, CMG reported.

A total of 35,000 people were affected by natural disasters in November, with the direct economic loss reaching 375 million yuan, the ministry noted.

Also, on December 15, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs issued a contingency plan for scientific response to La Nina this winter and next spring to fight against disasters, reduce losses and stabilize agricultural production and supply.

The ministry said that La Nina event will continue into the winter and as a result, uncertainty of weather in the country will increase and extreme weather events such as rain, snow, freezing, drought and flood disasters may occur frequently.

According to the plan, local authorities have been urged to strengthen monitoring and early warning efforts and take preventive measures against possible weather-related disasters, according to China Daily.

Facing unexpected natural disasters, China has always taken timely measures, from relief funds to emergency supplies, in a bid to address the difficulties of the affected people as soon as possible.

Since July, China's southern region has continuously suffered droughts due to high temperatures, which brought serious challenges to autumn grain production.

On August 17, the two ministries urgently allocated 420 million yuan of central natural disaster relief funds to support local efforts to prevent floods and drought. 

The Ministry of Emergence Management transferred anti-drought supplies and equipment worth 11.67 million yuan to Southwest China's Chongqing, one of the worst-hit areas across the country, including 170 sets of water pumps and 60 units of sprinkler irrigation.

Global Times