As of Wednesday noon, donations from home and abroad to China's quake-hit regions had reached 34.79 billion yuan (US$4.97 billion), up 2.1 billion yuan from the previous day, according to the State Council Information Office.

So far, 9.78 billion yuan, in cash and relief materials, had been forwarded to the earthquake-affected areas, the office said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 28, 2008)