Emergency response initiated for NE China floods Houses are submerged by floodwater in Huangyuwozi Village of Jiayin County, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Aug. 15, 2013. In Heilongjiang Province, floods have occurred in several major rivers, including the Heilongjiang, Nenjiang and Songhuajiang rivers, due to heavy rains that have swept the province since early August. Xinhua/Liang Shubin BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Authorities initiated an emergency disaster relief response in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province on Friday due to floods that have killed 11 people since Aug. 10. The National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Civil Affairs have sent work teams and relief supplies to the areas, according to a ministry statement. The provincial civil affairs department has allocated more than 110 million yuan (17.8 million U.S. dollars) to fund disaster relief in the area, as well as sent four work teams to aid in relief efforts. Lingering rainstorms have affected 1.97 million people in the province and resulted in direct economic losses of 7.1 billion yuan, according to local authorities. Three people have gone missing in the floods, local authorities said, adding that 140,000 people have been relocated due to the flooding.