The Chinese government has allocated another 250 million yuan (US$35.7 million) to the relief fund for areas hit by the southwest China earthquake, the Ministry of Finance announced on Wednesday.

This brought the disaster relief fund from the central budget to 1.11 billion yuan after Monday's destructive earthquake.

Of the 250 million yuan, 140 million yuan would be used to secure water conservation facilities, including reservoirs and dams, with 60 million yuan for Sichuan, which was the hardest hit and had many major water projects.

The South-to-North water diversion project and the Three Gorges Dam reported no problems from the quake in Sichuan. Dujiangyan, the world's oldest operating irrigation system, suffered minor damages.

The other 110 million yuan of the new fund would be spent on disaster relief, including medicines and daily necessities for victims, according to the ministry.

The earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale shook Wenchuan County in northwest part of Sichuan Province. The death toll was 14,463 by 4:00 PM on Wednesday in Sichuan.

(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2008)