BEIJING (AFP) — China allocated nearly four million dollars Tuesday in relief funds for a 6.2-magnitude earthquake that rattled the nation's quake-prone southwest, killing 38 people.
The 27 million yuan (3.95 million dollars) was allocated from the central government's emergency relief fund to cover rescue efforts for the quake that struck Sichuan and Yunnan provinces Saturday, the civil affairs ministry said.
The death toll from the quake rose to 38 on Tuesday, with most casualties occurring in Huili county in Sichuan, Xinhua news agency said.
Up to 941,000 people were affected by the quake, while 392,000 homes were damaged or collapsed, it said.
The government continued to call for relief supplies, including tents, blankets, fuel, food and medical supplies.
Over 439 aftershocks have rattled the mountainous region since Saturday's major jolt, with the biggest aftershock registering magnitude 5.6 on Sunday, the China Earthquake Administration said.
The epicentre of the quake was near Panzhihua city about 500 kilometres (300 miles) south of where an 8.0-magnitude earthquake devastated a large swathe of Sichuan on May 12, leaving nearly 88,000 people dead or missing.
On Tuesday, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao toured schools near the epicenter of the May 12 earthquake and urged students to work hard to overcome the massive destruction it had caused.
As Wen visited the quake area the government announced that it had spent 67 billion yuan (9.73 billion dollars) on relief and reconstruction for the May 12 earthquake as of September 1.
Domestic and foreign donations had exceeded 59.31 billion yuan in cash and goods, of which 25.3 billion yuan had been forwarded to quake-hit areas, it said.
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