Chinese insurers had paid 339 million yuan (US$48.4 million) in claims to areas affected by the earthquake as of June 21, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission said on Tuesday.

The total included 193 million yuan in life insurance and 146 million yuan in property insurance.

As of June 21, the sector had accepted 249,000 claims.

The death toll from the 8.0-magnitude earthquake, which jolted Sichuan and the neighboring regions on May 12, stood at 69,185 as of noon on Tuesday, with 374,171 injured and 18,467 listed as missing, the State Council Information Office said.

Vice Premier Hui Liangyu said Tuesday the death toll was expected to exceed 80,000. His statement was the first official acknowledgement that many of those still listed missing most likely perished.

(Xinhua News Agency June 25, 2008)