Around 180,000 people were displaced from their homes in the in the tea-producing region around Pu'er in Yunnan province following Sunday's quake that killed three people and injured 313.

A record 10 million Chinese students will sit the two-day exams, starting on Thursday, competing for about half that number of university places.

County authorities had also erected 80 tents as a precaution to allow the region's 679 students to finish the exam, in case aftershocks forced them to abandon the testing venue, a local middle school, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.

The earthquake had had "definite impact" on local students, the deputy head of Ning'er Middle School told the paper, adding that students had received counselling from coaches to ease mental pressure.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao promised rapid reconstruction to residents driven out of their homes by the earthquake and the fear of aftershocks.

"I know that your biggest concern is when new houses will be built," the China Daily quoted Wen as saying.

"As I have said several times we will try our best to get through the reconstruction work as soon as possible."

Yunnan Vice Governor Kong Chuizhu said all residents would be moved into new houses by Chinese New Year, which falls on February 7, 2008, the paper said.

Power supplies had been restored to most villages in the region and about 5,000 tents had been erected to house displaced residents, but 15,000 more were needed, Xinhua news agency said.