A total of $18.8 million was released from the Disaster Relief Fund to aid people in distress outside Hong Kong in 2002. About half of the money went to Mainland flood victims.

During last financial year, the fund provided assistance through 10 relief organisations' projects to help tide victims over the calamities that had befallen them.

The latest grant of $920,000 was approved last month to help earthquake victims in Xinjiang.

In last August and earlier this year, four grants totaling $7 million were made to meet the urgent needs of drought/famine victims in several African countries, including Malawi, Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Another sum of $10.85 million was sent through five relief organisations to the flood victims in Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan and Shaanxi Provinces.

All relief organisations who receive grants from the Fund are required to submit evaluation reports and audited accounts to the Government upon completion of the relief projects.

Since its establishment in December, 1993, the Fund has disbursed grants totaling about $280 million.