国内英语新闻:China starts work on rebuilding plans for mudslide-hit Zhouqu

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- China's Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development said Wednesday that it has begun work on the reconstruction plan for the mudslide-flattened Zhouqu County in northwest China's Gansu Province.

An inspection team would be sent to the disaster-ravaged areas to gather information for drawing up the reconstruction plan, the ministry said in a brief statement posted on its website.

However, it did not elaborate on the reconstruction plan nor provide detailed information about the inspection team.

On the same day, Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu urged authorities to prepare for post-disaster reconstruction of the mudslide-hit regions.

He said the responsible authorities must promptly send competent teams to the disaster sites to assess losses so reconstruction plans can be developed on the basis of these findings.

The death toll from the massive mudslides in Zhouqu, beginning on Aug. 8, had risen to 1,287 as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, with 457 still missing, the local disaster relief headquarters said.