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Deadly quake jolts Sichuan
BEIJING, May 12,2008 -- A major earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Wenchuan County of southwest China's Sichuan Province at 2:28 p.m. Monday, the State Seismological Bureau said, revising a previous figure of 7.6, and the epicenter of the quake was located 31.0 degrees north latitude and 103.4 degrees east longitude. With a population of 111,800, Wenchuan lies in southeast part of the Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of Aba, 146 km to the northwest of Chengdu, provincial capital of Sichuan. Earthquake was felt in Zhengzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu and Beijing.(Xinhua)
On the same day May 12 or, to be exact, little more than two hours of the quake, Premier Wen Jiabao took off from Beijing. By 19:10 pm, he was already at the quake area, directing the rescue effort from the ground. He spent 88 hours with the victims, rescuers and troops under the threat of aftershocks still trembling.
Chinese president flies to quake-hit Sichuan
BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao flew to quake-hit southwestern Sichuan Province Friday morning to console the victims and inspect the rescue and relief work.
Hu will also visit the troops and medical workers who are engaged in around-the-clock relief efforts in the quake areas.
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, more than 50,000 people were feared dead and the confirmed death toll in Sichuan alone was 19,509.
Magnitude of SW China earthquake revised to 8.0
BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- The China Seismological Bureau (CSB) on Sunday revised the magnitude of southwest China earthquake from 7.8 to 8.0 on the Richter scale. The magnitude was revised upwards after specialists carried out"real-time and detailed measurements of the quake according to international practices," the bureau said.
China begins three-day mourning for quake victims
BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) -- China on Monday began a three-day national mourning for the tens of thousands of people killed in a powerful earthquake which struck the country's southwest on May 12.
All national flags will fly at half-mast at home and Chinese diplomatic missions abroad from Monday to Wednesday. Public recreational activities will be halted during the mourning period.
At 2:28 p.m. Monday, Chinese citizens nationwide will stand in silence for three minutes to mourn for the victims, while air raid sirens and horns of automobiles, trains and ships will wail in grief.
Quake death toll officially hits 40,075
BEIJING, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the devastating earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan Province rose to 40,075 nationwide as of 6 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Information Office of the State Council.,another 247,645 people were injured in the 8.0-magnitude quake.
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