Special report: Strong Earthquake Jolts SW China

Li Gang (R), deputy director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR, and Hong Kong Jockey Club Chairman John Chan Cho-chak (C) attend the donation ceremony in south China's Hong Kong, May 14, 2008. Hong Kong Jockey Club donated 30 million HK dollars (about 3.85 million U.S. dollars) to help the relief work of the quake-hit region in Sichuan Province in southwest China. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, May 14 (Xinhua) -- Public donations in both cash and goods to the quake-hit areas had risen to 603 million yuan (86 million U.S. dollars) as of 4 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

    The Red Cross Society of China (RCSC) and the China Charity Federation have each received public donations of more than 120 million yuan.

    Local governments have donated 89.92 million (12.8 million U.S. dollars) for victims in the affected areas.

    Large and medium-sized Chinese companies and other institutions had contributed 273 million yuan.

    The 7.8-magnitude earthquake centered on Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, occurred on Monday afternoon and affected many parts of the country.

    The death toll from the powerful earthquake was 14,866 as of 2 p.m. Wednesday and rising.

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