Flood relief efforts are underway in southwest China's Sichuan Province. In the city of Dazhou, people have started rebuilding their lives.

So far, the local government has allocated some US$2.4 million worth of relief funds. Some 20,000 tons of grain, 2,000 tents, 1,500 quilts and large quantities of medicine and clean water have been distributed to flood-hit areas.

Relief workers are providing emergency power and water supplies. And insurance companies have begun processing flood-related insurance claims. The heavy rains have killed at least 17 people so far and injured several hundred.

(CCTV.com July 13, 2005)