As re****ts come in hard figures are being released.
===========================
China quake toll 'to top 50,000'
The town of Yingxiu in Wenchuan County
May 15, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7402460.stm
More than 50,000 people may have died in the earthquake that
devastated parts of China on Monday, state media say.
The warning came after the government confirmed the death toll had
risen to 19,500, as rescue efforts continue to search for thousands
still trapped.
About 10 million people across Sichuan province have been directly
affected by the 7.9 quake, state media said.
China is mobilising 30,000 extra troops to Sichuan to help the 50,000
already involved in rescue efforts.
China says it will accept foreign aid and has agreed to help from
rescue teams from Japan and its rival Taiwan.
Rescue teams pull woman from rubble of collapsed building
Correspondents say the death toll, which rose from 14,866 on
Wednesday, is expected to rise further as rescue workers dig more
victims out of collapsed buildings.
People are still being pulled out alive - a three-year-old girl and a
pregnant woman were both found alive on Wednesday.
Desperate search
The BBC's James Reynolds, in Hanwang, says rescuers and relatives of
those trapped reject suggestions time has run out for finding
survivors alive.
At Juyuan Middle School, near Dujiangyan about 50km (32 miles) from
the epicentre, 900 children were trapped in the rubble. Parents
frantically pull away the debris from the ruins.
"It's not that we don't trust the rescuers," local resident Deng
Yuehong told Associated Press Television on Thursday.
See a detailed map of quake zone
Dams pose flooding risk
Life in tent city
"They have done a lot of work to search for survivors but they
couldn't search all the places in such a large area here and there may
be some places that they ignored.
"We just want to have another try to see if there are any bodies of
school children buried here."
The Chinese government has appealed to the public to donate basic
equipment to help in the rescue operation. It said hammers, cranes,
shovels and rubber boats were urgently needed.
The health ministry says there will also be an increasing demand for
medicines and sophisticated medical equipment as the rescue operations
continue and survivors are treated for injuries such as bone
fractures, crushed internal organs and kidney failure.
More than 10,000 medical workers, police and volunteers have been sent
to Beichuan County, one of the hardest-hit areas in Sichuan province,
where up to 5,000 are thought to have died.
Appeal
Deputy health minister Gao Qiang says more than 64,040 people have
been treated since Monday's earthquake - 12,587 of them are seriously
injured, Xinhua re****ts.
RECENT CHINA QUAKES
March, 2008: 7.2 quake in Xinjiang - damage limited
February 2003: 6.8 quake in Xinjiang - at least 94 dead, 200 hurt
January 1998: 6.2 quake in rural Hebei - at least 47 dead, 2,000 hurt
April 1997: 6.6 quake hits Xinjiang - 9 dead, 60 hurt
January 1997: 6.4 quake in Xinjiang - 50 dead, 40 hurt
How earthquakes happen
History of deadly earthquakes
Officials say about 10 million people have been affected by the quake,
many are in refugee camps, without proper shelter, food or clean
water.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
have issued an emergency appeal for medical help, food, water and
tents.
Gu Qinghui, a member of the Red Cross *****sment team told AP
television: "I just came back from Beichuan County this morning,
basically the whole county has been destroyed, there is no Beichuan
County anymore.
"No one knows what has happened in particular areas, in the villages.
I am sure that the numbers (death tolls) will just go up continuing
day by day."
Tonnes of aid has been dropped from aircraft into isolated or
inaccessible places in the province.
China says its contributions to the relief effort, in both cash and
goods to the quake-hit areas, had risen to 1.34bn yuan ($192m).
Members of the public have also donated millions of yuan in both cash
and goods.
Organisers of the Beijing Olympics say a minute's silence will be held
at each stage of the torch relay, which is making its way through
China.
Donation points are being set up along the route. It was due to leave
Jinggangshan in Jiangxi province on Thursday.
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