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Heavy weather causing rescue delays in China
Cincinnati News.Net
Wednesday 14th May, 2008
Heavy rain and blocked roads are causing holdups in rescue efforts for thousands of people trapped or injured by Monday's devastating earthquake in China.
Late on Tuesday, a few hundred soldiers reached the epicentre in Wenchuan county, where an estimated 60,000 people remain missing.
Many of the devastated areas were not able to be reached and the Chinese army will now parachute soldiers into the region.
While the first relief efforts are only just reaching Wenchuan, almost 20,000 soldiers and armed police have deployed across the other parts of Sichuan province badly hit by the quake, officials said.
Another 30,000 soldiers are en route to the area and face a daunting task.
The official death toll is more than 12,000, and looks set to rise sharply.
The military says it will start dropping aid and medical supplies into worst-hit regions as soon as weather conditions improve.
So far, no foreign casualties have been reported after the strongest quake in China in three decades jolted the southwestern province of Sichuan on Monday.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman has said: “We have received no report of foreign casualties so far.”
He said the ministry would promptly release such information to related embassies and consulates in China if it gets any such news.
He added the Chinese government had already contacted all foreign embassies and consulates to ask if there had been any reports of casualties of their nationals.
Noting that the quake disaster was serious, the official asked foreign journalists who wanted to go to the quake-hit area to guard against danger and contact the Information Department in case of emergency.
He said the ministry would provide as much help as possible to journalists going to the disaster area and added that relevant departments of the Chinese government would also release the latest information on the disaster and the progress of relief work.
According to Xinhua, China's official news agency, the death toll has spiralled to 12,000 after a massive 7.9 magnitude quake struck Monday afternoon in Sichuan province.
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Comments on this story
Anonymous
05-14-08, 04:35 AM |
The compassionate face of china
Must admire the Chinese government for showing such great caring and bravery to help save peoples lives in these tragic circumstance. God bless you all
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Hindu
05-14-08, 04:01 AM |
Heavy weather causing rescue delays in China
1st headlines: Earthquake 7.8 in China. 2nd Headline: President ordered immediate rescue mission by using all it’s resources. Such quick response from the President reflects his leadership. Lives comes 1st, protocol later, exact contrast against American Katrina victims, where protocol killed more lifes then Katrina. What I am watching in TV on the rescue mission is something other world leaders have to learn from, the mission was headed by the PM himself, at one spot standing next to a victim being pulled out from the rubbles. Dropping paratropers to areas where road transport is impossible is very touching, even if too many deaths, I salute you China, you put all your efforts with your resources immediately into actions. I salute China’s President and their couraged army, police and volunteers who is working day and night helping the victims. I pray for the departed souls to rest in peace, for the injured fast recovery and for the survivors, life is a mystery, remains a mystery, but life have to go on, believe in GOD and self.
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Anonymous
05-14-08, 10:29 AM |
China's communism now seems more appealing.
Seems that communism is better than democracies. Communist government cares for the common good of all their citizens,against individualism. While democracies is each one for themselves.
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