China has launched two satellites which it says would monitor the environment and help reduce natural disasters.

Xinhua news agency says the satellites, fired from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in northern Shanxi Province, would help forecast and monitor floods, droughts, earthquakes, pest outbreaks and other disasters.

China has been rocked by a number of severe natural disasters this year that have killed thousands and caused huge economic losses.

In the aftermath of the May 12 earthquake China used satellites images provided by the United States to help assess damage to roads, reservoirs and bridges.

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