Reconstruction of the quake zone in northwest China's Qinghai Province faces major challenges, Zhang Guangrong, deputy governor of Qinghai Province, said Monday.

Zhang told a press conference in Beijing that the four major difficulties were:

-- Limited construction time due to the extreme weather, which was a feature of the area's latitude and altitude.

-- Inadequate transport capacity.

-- High construction costs brought about by the need to protect the local environment.

-- Insecure electricity supplies.

Zhang said funding would be the key to solving the problem.

"As of 5:00 PM Sunday, we have received donations totaling 3.5 billion yuan (about US$515 million) in cash, plus relief materials valued at 4 billion yuan," Zhang said.

Donations from around the world were still streaming in, he said.

The reconstruction framework plan was to turn the quake-devastated Gyegu township into "a plateau ecological tourist city," and with the help of the people, the provincial government could overcome all the difficulties.

The Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu is at the headwaters of three major Chinese rivers -- the Yellow, the Yangtze and the Lancang rivers -- and the place is also referred to as "Sanjiangyuan" in Chinese.

At least 2,220 were confirmed dead Sunday from the 7.1-magnitude earthquake that hit the prefecture April 14.

(Xinhua News Agency April 26, 2010)