BEIJING, June 24, 2009 -- China's central government confirmed Wednesday that since May it has given 208 million yuan (about 30 million U.S. dollars) to eight provinces and autonomous regions hit by severe natural disasters, the Civil Affairs Ministry said.

Funds from the civil affairs and finance ministries were given to Anhui, Henan, Hunan, Shanxi, Heilongjiang and Gansu provinces and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

In Anhui in early June, 15,700 houses were destroyed, 7,000 people relocated and 205,400 hectares of farmland damaged by storms, said the local disaster relief office. In May, severe drought hit Shanxi, Heilongjiang, Gansu, Ningxia and Inner Mongolia.