Donations for snow-ravaged and earthquake-hit areas of China from overseas Chinese exceeded 1.5 billion yuan (US$219 million), said the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council on Sunday.

Office Director, Li Haifeng, revealed the figure at a meeting honoring outstanding donations for earthquake relief as well as money sent in to help during the severe winter weather in south China at the beginning of 2008.

Apart from donations of cash and relief supplies, some overseas Chinese voluntarily rushed to the disaster zone to help with relief work, he said.

A total of 50 groups and 100 individuals engaged in overseas Chinese affairs work were honored at the meeting for their performance in disaster relief.

The May 12, 8.0 magnitude earthquake in the southwest China's Sichuan Province claimed nearly 70,000 lives.

(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2008)