Premier: 2 years to rebuild Chinese provinces

The official Xinhua News Agency also quoted Wen as saying that regular life should be close to normal soon in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces.

The two provinces were not damaged as badly as neighboring Sichuan. The epicenter of the May 12 earthquake was in Sichuan, and the majority of the more than 69,000 killed were in the province.

"I hope that life of the quake-affected people in Shaanxi and Gansu can be basically restored in two months from now, while reconstruction in the two provinces can be completed in two years," Wen was quoted as saying after a three-day visit to the provinces to inspect rebuilding work after China's worst disaster in three decades.

Sichuan officials say they want to rebuild communities within three years. Beijing has already ordered China's richest provinces and cities to adopt hard-hit areas and send aid such as tents and drinking water, with experts in construction and city planning to follow.

Wen also said local officials should guard against epidemics, although there have been no signs of such health problems so far.