Local authorities of Tibet Autonomous Region would pool about 200 million yuan (about US$28.57 million) to finance quake reconstruction in Damxung, said an official in charge of relief operation.

Damxung, an outer county of the regional capital Lhasa, was hit by a magnitude-6.6 quake on Monday.

To start with, 7 million yuan will be needed to guarantee the life of quake-affected residents in winter and spring, and another 20 million yuan for repairing quake-damaged infrastructure connecting to Damxung, said Qin Yizhi, commander-in-chief with the Tibet Autonomous Regional Headquarters for Quake Control and Relief Operation.

Also, an extra 150 million yuan would be raised to cover financing needed to rebuild houses destroyed in the quake, and another 1 million yuan for constructing village schools, said Qin, who is also Lhasa City Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) secretary.

The quake hit Damxung, 82 km from Lhasa, the regional capital, at 4:30 PM on Monday, leaving 10 dead and 34 others injured, including nine deaths and 19 injuries at the epicenter, mainly women, children and the elderly.

The latest was at a Shannan Prefecture high school that was evacuating students during the quake when a stampede occurred. One teen was killed and 15 others were injured.

At least 147 houses were toppled.

Since the quake struck, supplies have kept pouring into Tibetan villages, and all the victims have been properly accommodated, said a local official.

In addition, the regional government of Tibet is giving 5,000 yuan each to the relatives of 10 victims killed in the quake.

The injured will also receive free treatment, according to a regional government official here on Thursday.

(Xinhua News Agency October 10, 2008)