Live report: 7.0-magnitude quake hits Sichuan

23:50

The death toll from the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Southwest China's Sichuan province on Saturday has risen to 192, with 23 missing, authorities said Monday.

22:00

A China Unicom technician was injured when repairing communication lines in Baoxing township, Sichuan province. His life is not in danger.

21:39

A 69-year-old farmer was saved after being trapped for 52 hours in the quake-hit Qionglai, Sichuan province, The Beijing News reported Monday.

21:36

The China Food and Drug Administration will accelerate the approval for quake-relief drugs and medical equipment, according to a circular issued on Monday.

The administration also urged all-level food and drug organs to strengthen supervision over quake-relief medication and medical equipment which are badly needed in order to ensure their quality, said the circular.

21:33

Emergency communication systems have been built at township level in quake-hit Sichuan Province, as rescue teams sent equipment to the last four isolated townships Monday afternoon.

The four townships are Longdong, Wulong, Yongfu and Mingli. A team reached Mingli, the last one cut off from the outside world, at 4:04 pm,a Ministry of Industry and Information Technology statement said.

21:26

The Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) on Monday afternoon dispatched 200 make-shift toilets to the area in southwest China's Sichuan Province devastated by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake on Saturday.  

20:43

After nine hours of digging, Yue Anhong was finally rescued from her collapsed house in Longquan village of the quake-hit Ya'an.

 

20:07

The groom Gao Lin waits for his bride Gao Lidan in Chengxiang township, Tianquan county, Sichuan province, April 21, 2013. The earquake damaged their new house, but they continued to hold the wedding cremony as scheduled despite the devastation. [Photo/CFP]

20:04

A man runs carrying his girlfriend to avoid falling rocks on a narrow road in the quake-hit Baoxing county, Sichuan province, April 21, 2013. [Photo/CFP]

19:16

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force on Monday carried out its first airdrop operations in quake-hit southwest China to deliver food and water for thousands of homeless survivors.

Loaded with bottled water, instant noodles and other food, an Air Force helicopter took off from Qionglai Airport to Baosheng township.

The Air Force has also deployed a second helicopter to drop food and water to Baosheng.

The weight of food and water by the two helicopters totals 2.6 tonnes, according to Air Force sources.

Since the quake hit mountainous Lushan County of southwest China's Sichuan Province on Saturday, roads to many remote towns were blocked by sliding rocks, leaving survivors facing food shortages.

19: 10

Nation works to restore post-quake order

Chinese authorities are working to restore social order and infrastructure in Ya'an of southwest China's Sichuan Province, badly hit by a strong earthquake on Saturday.

Firefighters started a fire prevention and control campaign at the settlement sites in the quake-hit areas on Monday, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Firefighting units are coordinating with local authorities to gain a full understanding of the situation in the sites.

The fire department will deploy a portion of its staff to conduct fire prevention patrols at victims' settlement sites, set up firefighting service points and organize volunteers to join the campaign.

19:00

A total of 2,360 aftershocks have been recorded in quake-hit Lushan county as of 4 pm Beijing time on Monday, with four measured above 5.0 magnitude.

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit Lushan county, Ya'an city of Southwest China's Sichuan province, at 8:02 am Beijing time on Saturday, leaving at least 188 people dead and 25 missing, according to latest statistics from the the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

Niu Zhijun, deputy head of the CEA, urged close monitoring of aftershocks, full implementation of earthquake relief work, coordination with local authorities to ensure rescue work, and strengthened examinations in crucial areas to search for survivors.

Lushan is about 200 km from the epicenter of the massive Wenchuan earthquake that left 87,000 dead or missing five years ago.

17:05

Chinese shares closed lower on Monday as Saturday's quake weighed on the markets with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index moved down 0.11 percent, or 2.47 points, to end at 2,242.17, and the Shenzhen Component Index shed 0.59 percent, or 53.57 points, to 9,057.62, Xinhua reports.

17:02

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has expressed deep sadness over the loss of life, injuries and destruction caused by the earthquake, United Nations reports

16:59

The quake has left 188 people dead and 25 missing as of 2 pm Monday, the Ministry of Civil Affairs announced. Altogether 11,950 are injured and more than 1.72 million people affected.

16:40

The China Earthquake Administration has set up seven mobile seismic stations and six strong-motion stations to conduct field monitoring on aftershocks in the quake zone.

16:05

Twenty-three rescuers from the national earthquake emergency rescue team have arrived in Baoxing, the county worst hit by the quake. They reached the county on foot at 1 pm on Monday, said the China Earthquake Administration.

15:59

China's Ministry of Civil Affairs on Monday asked charity groups to regulate donations intended for Sichuan, calling for transparency and social supervision. In a statement, the MCA said charity groups that are organizing donation drives for the quake-hit areas of Sichuan Province should publicize information about their activities and donation incomes in accordance with existing regulations.

15:51

Despite a devastating earthquake killing hundreds and injuring tens of thousands and Tianquan county appealing for emergency medical supplies, water and food, teachers have told 952 students with the highest grades at Tian Quan High School to continue studying for the 2013 National College Entrance exam outdoors in temporary tents, April 22. The school decided to move its students and teachers out of the buildings to a clear area on the campus.

15:30

The latest figures released at noon say a total of 188 people across Sichuan province have been killed in the quake, 25 are missing and 11,470 are injured, 968 in a serious condition. In Ya'an alone, 169 died, 25 are missing and 10,947 are injured, said the Sichuan provincial emergency office.

14:45

Firefighters have begun a fire prevention campaign at the makeshift tent camps for quake victims, according to the Ministry of Public Security (MPS). The fire department will deploy staff to patrol camps and organize volunteers to join the campaign.

14:34

Cellphones and a laptop being recharged at an electric supply station in Lushan county, Sichuan province, on Sunday.

14:23

The BBC's John Sudworth reporting live from Lushan county says collapsed roads are hampering rescue efforts and rescue workers are walking on foot across mountains to reach victims. He says the death toll is unlikely to rise significantly as most of the worst affected areas have been reached.

13:57

The Macao Special Administrative Region has donated $12.5 million to support quake relief victims and will send medical equipment and teams to the area if needed.

13:27

Amid the devastation and rescue one moving story has emerged. A baby girl was born in Baoxing County after the earthquake, People.com.cn reports.

13:10

Hong Kong plans to donate 100 million HK dollars to the quake relief in Sichuan province. The sum will be allocated after being reviewed by the Finance Committee.

12:37

Power supplies have been restored to areas of southwest China's Sichuan Province severely affected by Saturday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake, said the State Grid Corp. on Monday.

12:32

Schools resumed classes in tents in Lushan county on Monday morning.

12:20

Several counties are in desperate need of medical supplies, drinking water, food, tents and other essential products, Beijing News reports. (see details)

12:17

Make-shift toilets are urgently needed in the quake-hit Lushan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province, a Xinhua reporter learned Monday.

12:08

Air force soldiers are preparing to drop quake relief supplies by air to the earthquake-stricken counties that cannot be reached by land because the roads have been destroyed by landslides.

12:07

Two police rescue workers have been injured, including one who sustained severe injuries, after being hit by rocks following a landslide triggered by an aftershock.

Song Yongke, an armed police engineer, suffered head injuries and bone fractures to his leg on Sunday. After five hours in surgery, Song's vital signs have been stabilized, sources said Monday. Corporal Yan Kaikai is being treated for

12:00

Roads linking Baoxing county to its suborinate towns and townships, previously blocked by landslides, have all been cleared, said CCTV.

11:57

Malaysian government has expressed condolences for the earthquake that struck Sichuan Province in southwest China Saturday, senior official said Monday.

"The Government of Malaysia would like to convey its heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the Government of the People's Republic of China and families of the victims of the earthquake which occurred in the province of Sichuan on Saturday, 20 April 2013," Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said in a statement.

11:30

Apple Inc has donated 50 million yuan to earthquake-stricken areas in Sichuan province. New devices including computers will go to schools in need in these areas.

Samsung corporation deciede to donate 60 million yuan on Monday, and encouraged more donations from its branches in China.

11:01

Wulong township in Baoxing county still remains isolated from the outside with blocked roads, no power or water. The township has a shortage of tents, food, and drinking water, according to China Central Television.

10:55

The road linking Lushan county to Shuangshi town was just cleared thanks to efforts by workers, said CCTV.

10:47

Moderate rain is expected to linger in quake-hit regions of southwest China's Sichuan Province over the next three days, adding to difficulties in carrying out relief work. The National Meteorological Center on Monday forecast clouds and showers in Ya'an City from Monday to Wednesday, with local temperatures fluctuating by 14 and 24 degrees Celsius.

10:19

A traffic jam occurs at the only road entrance to quake zones in Taiping town, Longmen town, Baosheng town of Lushan county on Monday morning. Authorities urged vehicles that are not for relief purpose to make way for those used for rescue missions.

10:17

As of 10 am Monday, 2,089 aftershocks had occurred after the 7.0-magnitude earthquake rattled Lushan county, Ya'an city of Sichuan province at 8:02 am Saturday Beijing Time. (China Earthquake Administration)

10:04

A national earthquake emergency rescue team of more than 40 military officers and soldiers from the 38th Combined Corps of the PLA walk toward Lingguan town. Each member of the team carried more than 20 kilograms of rescue equipment for more than 20 kilometers toward the town, which bans vehicles from entering.

10:00

 

08:10

Lin Dan, two-time Olympic badminton champion, announced on his Tencent micro blog that he and his wife have donated 2.2 million yuan ($356,180) for the quake relief to Ya'an, Sichuan province on Monday morning.

   

08:06

As of 6 am Monday, 1,967 aftershocks had occurred after the 7.0-magnitude earthquake rattled Lushan county, Ya'an city of Sichuan province at 8:02 am Saturday Beijing Time, CCTV said on its official weibo account at 8:06 am Monday.

Of the total are four aftershocks in magnitude 5.0 or greater on Richter scale, 20 in magnitudes 4.0—4.9, and 63 in magnitudes 3.0—3.9.

07:38

Death toll has risen to 188 in the 7.0-magnitude quake earthquake that jolted Lushan county of Ya'an city in Sichuan province at 8:02 am Saturday Beijing Time, CCTV reported. Twenty-five people are reported missing, and 11460 others have been injured, according to the reports.

05:31

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday said that he "is deeply saddened by the loss of life, injuries and destruction caused by the earthquake and aftershocks" that struck Sichuan Province in southwest China Saturday.

01:17

In the 7.0-magnitude quake that jolted southwest China's Sichuan Province, giant pandas have become special "victims." Although no deaths or injuries of pandas were reported so far, the rare species at Bifengxia Panda Base, located 50 kilometers away from the epicenter in Longmen county, Ya'an city, were found scared by the devastating quake.

Breeders provided abundant food for the pandas to assure them "nothing is wrong," and for those young cubs who were scared the most, breeders will play with them to ease their tense, said a director surnamed Wang in charge of animal management of the base.

Chinese Vice-Premier Wang Yang greets rescuers during an inspection in quake-hit Lushan county, Southwest China's Sichuan province, April 21, 2013.

 

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