As of Wednesday noon, donations from home and abroad to China's quake-hit regions had reached 34.79 billion yuan (4.97 billion US dollars), up 2.1 billion yuan from the previous day, according to the Information Office of the State Council.

So far, 9.78 billion yuan, in cash and relief materials, had been forwarded to the earthquake-affected areas, the office said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 28, 2008)