CHENGDU, CHINA: An earthquake devastated southwestern China, killing close to 10,000 people and trapping hundreds of others under schools, factories and houses while the worst-hit area was still cut off from rescuers on Tuesday.
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake, centred in Sichuan province, struck in the middle of the school day on Monday and toppled at least eight schools. Chemical-laden factories and at least one hospital collapsed, trapping hundreds more, state media said.
The death toll appeared likely to climb in China's worst earthquake for over three decades as troops struggled on foot to reach the worst-hit area of Wenchuan, some 100 km (62 miles) from the Sichuan's provincial capital Chengdu.
Officials said there was no word from three townships nearest epicentre in Wenchuan, a hilly county of 112,000 people.
About 900 teenagers were buried under a three-storey school building in the Sichuan city of Dujiangyan. Premier Wen Jiabao, who rushed there, bowed three times in grief before some of the 50 bodies already pulled out, Xinhua news agency reported.
Xinhua said at another Dujiangyan school 420 students were trapped and workers had so far been able to rescue less than 100.
"Not one minute can be wasted," Wen said. "One minute, one second could mean a child's life."
In Chengdu, many residents slept outside or in cars, fearing more tremours in the city where at least 45 people died and 600 were injured.
The government has rushed troops and medical teams to dig for survivors and treat the injured. Sometimes struggling to contain his emotions, Wen vowed to spare no effort while urging crying and injured residents to stay calm.
Severed roads and rail lines blocked the way to Wenchuan, and local officials described crumpled houses, landslides and scenes of desperation.
"We are in urgent need of tents, food, medicine and satellite communications equipment," the Communist Party chief of Wenchuan, Wang Bin said, according to Xinhua.
Source: TOI
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