From correspondents in Beijing, China, 05:00 PM IST

The death toll in the May 12 earthquake in southeast China's Sichuan province and its neighbouring region has risen to 69,225, the State Council information office said Monday.

The number of people missing and injured reached 17,939 and 374,640 respectively, the statement said.

The government has so far spend about $9.4 billion in relief and reconstruction, it said.

The killer quake affected some 24 million people and wreaked havoc over an area of 44,000 square km..

(Staff Writer, © IANS)