The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Friday said its Board of Directors has approved emergency assistance loan valued at US$400 million to rebuild roads and schools that were demolished or badly damaged in the devastating earthquake in southwestern China last year.

ADB said the loan will be used to rehabilitate and reconstruct over 350 roads and bridges, along with 12 schools, in the worst hit counties of Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces.

Last May, an 8.0-magnititude earthquake struck southwestern China, killing more than 70,000 people and forcing 1.5 million residents to be relocated. Direct losses from the disaster are estimated at 852.31 billion yuan (US$124.68 billion), ADB said.

A key element of the reconstruction work is that it will incorporate earthquake-resistant designs, with roads and schools to be rebuilt to a higher standard than the original structures, the Manila-headquartered regional bank said.

Public concerns were voiced about the quality of buildings, including schools, after many collapsed at a blink during last year's earthquake, leaving no time for especially students to escape to safety.

"The primary lesson is that new buildings, including schools, need to be designed to withstand seismic shocks and be built to a higher quality," said Manmohan Parkash, Project Team Leader and Principal Transport Specialist with ADB's East Asia Department.

ADB said the rebuilding of schools to include new facilities, such as dormitories, is expected to boost student enrollment numbers, particularly for girls, while the restoration of roads will help boost off-farm employment opportunities for people in remote areas.

ADB said the loan follows two earlier technical assistance grants totaling US$1.65 million that were given to assess the quake damage and reconstruction needs, and to help the government develop a comprehensive disaster risk management system.

The bank said it will further provide a technical assistance grant of US$700,000 to support agencies overseeing the reconstruction effort. It will also include training for teachers and the establishment of two "model" schools that focus on information and communication technology and natural sciences.

"These two schools will develop a model that can be replicated in other schools in the affected counties," said Parkash.

(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2009)