Donations from local temples and religious people of Tibet Autonomous Region have totaled 1.17 million yuan (168,982 US dollars) for quake-battered Sichuan Province, the local united front work department said on Monday.

Temples in Tibet have held various Buddhist religious services to pray for the dead in the May 12 massive earthquake. Monks also donated individually, said Gonggar, a Tibet Autonomous Regional United Front Work Department official.

Donations were received from the Jokhang Temple (100,000 yuan), Ramoche Temple (20,800 yuan), Zhaibung Monastery (34,000 yuan), Sera monastery (38,000 yuan) and the Gandan Temple (25,000 yuan), the official said.

The Eleventh Panchen Erdeni Gyaincain Norbu donated 100,000 yuan and Zhukang Tubdankezhub, head of the Tibet branch of the Buddhist Association of China, donated 102,000 yuan.

The death toll from the major quake increased by six overnight to 69,142 on Monday. A total of 374,065 people were injured after the quake jolted Sichuan Province and the neighboring regions.

(Xinhua news agency June 10, 2008)