The government of Hong Kong approved a grant of 3.1 million HK dollars (399,176 U.S. dollars) to mudslide and flood victims in northwest China on Wednesday.

About 2.44 million HK dollars of the grant, allocated from the Disaster Relief Fund to The Amity Foundation, would be used to help victims from a massive rain-triggered mudslide in Zhouqu county of Gansu province, and the rest for people affected by severe floods in Sichuan province, a government spokesman said.

The Disaster Relief Fund Advisory Committee, who suggested the grant, hoped it would help provide relief to the victims on the mainland, the spokesman said.

The grant is further to a disbursement of 19.23 million HK dollars made earlier for local charity groups, including the Association of Chinese Evangelical Ministry Ltd, the Salvation Army and others, to provide emergency relief to flood victims in Guangxi, Hunan, Jiangxi, Shaanxi and Yunnan.

"To ensure that the money will be used for the designated purposes, the relief agency has been asked to submit evaluation report and audited accounts on the use of the grant after the relief project has been completed," the spokesman added.

A devastating mudslide hit Zhouqu County early Sunday morning following torrential rain overnight, burying houses, crushing buildings, and leaving at least 702 people killed and 1,042 still missing.

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