Report: Reconstruction will be slow

BEIJING, May 28 (UPI) -- China's earthquake rehabilitation will require moving a number of towns and villages to new sites, officials say.

A report from the earthquake relief headquarters of the State Council, the country's highest administrative authority, said work in the quake-hit zones will take a long time to complete as it will include relocating several communities, Xinhua reported.

An exact number of such towns and villages in Sichuan province and surrounding regions has yet to be determined. A special team will evaluate local geological conditions and select new locations, the state-run news agency reported.

Money for the rehabilitation effort will come from various sources, including the government and donations, Xinhua said.

The Chinese government already has set aside $10.4 billion to be financed from a 5 percent cut in expenditures.

The earthquake destroyed 2.9 million homes and severely damaged 14 million houses in Sichuan province alone.

The State Council report said it has become a challenge to meet quake victims' daily needs. The approach of summer and the rainy season will make it more difficult to maintain public hygiene and prevent outbreaks of disease, the council said.

The confirmed death toll as of Tuesday reached 67,183, with another 20,790 reported missing and now feared dead, the report said.