focus_5.jpg

A Chinese farmer receives food aid from the Red Cross after his home was flooded, in Chuhe, which lies between China's Anhui and Jiangsu province 11 July 2003. The worst flooding China has seen in years has so far killed 569 people and forced the emergency evacuation of 2.29 million, with more than 505,000 homes had collapsed and another 1.33 million homes been damaged by floods that have mainly occurred in central, east and southern China since late May, with economic losses nationwide risen to 39.87 billion yuan (4.8 billion dollars). AFP PHOTO