Members of the Communist Party of China (CPC) should play a leading role during the reconstruction after May 12 earthquake, a senior CPC official said.

Li Yuanchao, head of the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, said Party members and cadres have shown their courage and spirit of sacrifice during the rescue work since the 8.0-magnitude quake jolted Sichuan and neighboring regions on May 12.

He urged them to continue to make efforts in organizing people to rebuild their homes.

"The officials should reach the front line, find out problems timely during the reconstruction work and handle them appropriately," he said.

He stressed the building of grass-roots Party branches at the same time with the rebuilding of homes.

He made the remarks during his three-day visit starting from Saturday to quake-hit Shaanxi Province in southwest China.

The quake has caused 69,172 deaths as of Tuesday noon, injured 374,159 and left 17,420 others missing.

(Xinhua News Agency June 18, 2008)