The mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) on Monday delivered to the quake zones 270 million yuan (39.4 million U.S. dollars) donated by the Taiwan public.

Chen Yunlin, head of the association, delivered to Vice Governor of quake-hit Sichuan Province Chen Wenhua the money forwarded by Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF).

The 8.0-magnitude earthquake centered in Wenchuan County of Sichuan Province on May 12 has killed more than 69,000 people in Sichuan and neighboring Gansu and Shaanxi provinces and left nearly 18,000 missing.

The SEF said some of the donation should be used in the reconstruction of the farmers' houses in Gansu and Shaanxi and school facilities in Sichuan.

(Xinhua News Agency September 9, 2008)