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 06 July 2008 21:36 BST

Up to 9,000 killed in China earthquake

Monday, 12 May 2008 19:56
A survivor of the earthquake in south-west China escapes from rubble
Up to 9,000 people are thought to have been killed following the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck south-west China earlier today.

It is feared the death-toll from the quake, the epicentre of which was 92km north-west of Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan, will rise overnight as rescuers search through collapsed buildings.

The earthquake began at 14:48 local time (07:28 BST) and was felt in Beijing 1,500km away, while office workers in Shanghai took to the streets as the tremor was felt.

According to state media up to 900 students have been buried under the rubble in Wenchuan county, Sichuan, while two chemical plants have fallen apart in Shifeng.

The British Geological Survey said on Monday that earthquakes of the size which struck Sichuan, China's most populous province and home to 87 million people, had the potential "to cause extensive damage and loss of life".

Chinese president Hu Jintao has demanded "all-out efforts" to help those affected, while premier Wen Jiabao is travelling to Sichuan to direct rescue work.

Speaking en route, Mr Wen said the earthquake was a "major disaster" for China, as the region's mountainous terrain and conditions on the ground delay the deployment of 5,000 troops.

United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon has expressed his "sorrow and sympathy" for victims of the earthquake.

Pledging the full support of the UN he said: "We do not yet know the extent of the tragedy.

"But you have seen the reports of the hundreds of students trapped at a local university, and potentially many others are dead. My thoughts are very much with them and their families."End of story


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