Donations for snow-hit areas of China from overseas Chinese, including funds from Hong Kong and Macao, have exceeded 45 million yuan (about US$6.16 million), the Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of the State Council said.

The office allocated 2.2 million yuan to snow-hit areas to help returned overseas Chinese and relatives of overseas Chinese affected by the disaster.

Office Director Li Haifeng and two deputy directors went to Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Fujian and Jiangxi provinces to visit returned overseas Chinese and relatives of overseas Chinese. They helped solve problems caused by the disaster and encouraged them to combat the havoc with the help of local governments.

On Thursday, an overseas Chinese investment association appealed to overseas Chinese to help the millions affected by the persistent severe winter weather in the country's central, east and south regions.

The timely gesture was launched by the office on Thursday. Later that day, the office had received funds totaling 14 million yuan from three enterprises.

The snow has so far killed at least 60, according to the latest figures, and forced nearly 1.76 million to relocate. From January 25 to January 31, a total of 5.8 million people were stranded throughout the railway system and more than 8,000 cargo trains were affected.

Some countries and foreign friends have sent messages of sympathy over China's worst winter weather in decades, something that has caused huge economic loss over the past three weeks.

Premier Wen Jiabao said on Saturday that people in China "have the faith, courage and ability to overcome the severe natural disaster".

(Xinhua News Agency February 4, 2008)