KUALA LUMPUR: AFC has announced a relief fund of US$ 250,000 each for reconstruction of football facilities in China and Myanmar which were hit by natural disasters recently.

While Cyclone Nargis left at least 100,000 people dead according to various estimates in the Irrawady delta of Myanmar, an earthquake has killed more than 20,000 people in China’s Sichuan province whose capital Chengdu is one of AFC’s Vision Asia cities.

The AFC Football for Disabled Persons and Social Responsibility Committee will administer and allocate the funds which are to be used for the benefit of the football community to the Myanmar Football Federation and the Chinese Football Association.

AFC has also invited its partners to join in the cyclone and earthquake relief efforts.

After the 2004 tsunami disaster, AFC had joined hands with FIFA to set up a FIFA/AFC Solidarity Fund, raising a total of US$ 10.55 million which were assigned for reconstruction initiatives in the affected countries (Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand).