China death toll rises
More than 40,000 people were dead, missing or buried under rubble in China’s southwest, officials were quoted saying, as the full extent of its devastating earthquake began to emerge. AFP said planes and helicopters air-dropped supplies, troops parachuted into inaccessible areas and rescuers across Sichuan province fought to pull the living and the dead from the debris.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao was quoted saying that 100,000 military personnel and police had been mobilised in what was an all-out nationwide relief effort.
“Time is life,” he was quoted telling rescuers.
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