April natural disasters cause 7 deaths, over 5 bln yuan worth of economic losses in China

BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- China's direct economic losses caused by natural disasters totaled 5.44 billion yuan (about 782.95 million U.S. dollars) in April, data from the Ministry of Emergency Management showed.

The disasters killed seven people, displaced more than 10,000, and affected 7.94 million, according to the ministry.

April's natural disasters in China mainly included hailstorms, drought, and cryogenic temperatures, said the ministry.

Various degrees of flooding, geological disasters, sandstorms, earthquakes, snow disasters and forest and grassland fires also occurred in April, it added.

More than 500 houses were destroyed, over 2,600 houses were seriously damaged, and 68,000 houses damaged by the disasters, said the ministry.

The natural disasters hit 731,200 hectares of crops, the ministry added.