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Hong Kong approves 1 million US dollars in aid for snow-stuck China

Other News Materials 2 February 2008 09:09 (UTC +04:00)

( dpa )- Hong Kong has pledged to give 8 million Hong Kong dollars (1 million US dollars) to provide emergency relief to the victims of China's snowstorm, government officials said Saturday.

The money from the the disaster relief fund for the Hong Kong Red Cross will help those who have suffered in what has been described as the worst snowstorms to hit China in half a century.

Rail, road and air traffic in most of southern, eastern and central China has been crippled in the storms, stranding millions of people, many of whom are trying to head home for the Chinese New Year holiday, which begins Thursday.

At least 60 people have died, while millions more are struggling to cope in freezing conditions without heating and light, as the bad conditions cause fuel shortages and hit power stations.

A reported 250,000 soldiers and 770,000 militia have been mobilized in various disaster relief campaigns across the worst hit areas, as weather experts predicted another 10 days of snow and freezing temperatures.

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