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-SEPTEMBER, 1998-
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09/17/1998 U.N. plans first relief effort for flood-hit China

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U.N. plans first relief effort for flood-hit China

11:22 AM ET 09/17/98

ROME, Sept 17 (Reuters) - The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) said on Thursday it planned to launch its first ever emergency relief operation in China to help feed more than five million victims of devastating floods there.

The worst flooding since 1954 has killed more than 3,000 people, left millions homeless and caused at least $20 billion of damage, according to official figures.

"The scale and severity of the floods in China has far exceeded the government's normal response mechanisms," said WFP Deputy Executive Director Namanga Ngongi.

"The aim of WFP's emergency operation will be to provide food to help these people rebuild their homes and local infrastructure destroyed by the floods," he added.

The four-month relief operation would cost an estimated $87.7 million, Rome-based WFP said in a statement. The plan -- which is subject to approval from directors of WFP and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation -- would provide 247,214 tonnes of rice to 5.8 million vulnerable people.

WFP said it would provide free food rations to flood victims for the first month of the relief operation.

"When the floodwaters dry up about mid-October, WFP will then pay half the targeted population in food to construct shelters, restore drinking water facilities, clear land, de-silt irrigation channels and rebuild damaged farm roads in their communities," the statement said.

In addition to food aid from WFP, the Chinese government would distribute 100,000 tonnes of rice from its stocks.

From Reuters

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Copyright DateRichard R. Wertz