BEIJING, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- China's central government has allocated 20 million yuan (2.93 million U.S. dollars) to blizzard-hit Hebei and Shanxi provinces, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) Friday.

    The MOF and the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) have allocated 10 million yuan to each of the two provinces hit by snowstorms, said the MOF.

    The fund will mainly be used to relocate the affected people and help those whose houses were toppled in the snowstorms.

    Heavy snow has left 21 people dead in north and central China since Monday, said the MCA Friday.

Heavy snow leaves 21 dead in north, central China

A work shed damaged by heavy snow is seen in Zhengzhou, capital of central China's Henan Province, Nov. 12, 2009. Six people were killed and 34 others got hurt or sick during the recent heavy snowfall in Henan, according to the provincial government. (Xinhua/Zhao Peng) Photo Gallery>>>

BEIJING, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- Heavy snow has left 21 people dead in north and central China since Monday, the Ministry of Civil Affairs announced (MCA) Friday.

The ministry did not detail the causes of the deaths, but four children had been reported dead when two school canteens collapsed after heavy snow in Hebei and Henan provinces since Wednesday. Full story