China builds Sichuan earthquake museum

BEIJING – Chinese state media says construction has begun on a museum commemorating the nearly 90,000 people who died during a 2008 earthquake.

Xinhua News Agency says the museum is located in the worst-hit region of Beichuan in Sichuan province in southern China.

Dozens of poorly constructed schools collapsed during the quake and over 5,000 children were among the 87,000 killed.

The government has not responded to complaints that many schools lacked emergency exits and other basic safety features, and activists investigating the deaths of the children have been detained and jailed.

The $35 million museum is expected to be completed by May 12, 2011 — the third anniversary of the quake.