Live report: 7.0-magnitude quake hits Sichuan

Good morning and welcome to our live rolling coverage of the Sichuan earthquake where we will bring you the latest news as-it-happens. More than 220 people remain dead or missing, 12,211 injured in the remote mountainous villages of the province with 968 listed in serious condition.

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02:06

Homeless quake survivors sleep in tents as the rain falls on quake-hit Baoxing county in Ya'an city of Southwest China's Sichuan province, April 23, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

01:50

Small to moderate amounts of rain will fall on quake-hit Lushan county in Ya'an city of Southwest China's Sichuan province on Tuesday and Wednesday, weather forecasters said.

Lushan will experience precipitation of 10 to 25 mm on Tuesday and Wednesday, said a statement posted on the website of the China Meteorological Administration on Tuesday.

The rain may trigger landslides and make roads more slippery, adding difficulties to rescue work, the statement said.

It warned that thunder and lightning may worsen the situation and affected people are advised to seek proper shelters from the elements.

00:50

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang expressed his gratitude Tuesday for the international sympathy and aid China has received after the country suffered a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Lushan, Sichuan province.

Li said the earthquake has caused serious casualties and property losses, and the Chinese government has been engaged in rescue and relief work and made utmost efforts to save lives, treat the wounded and settle the affected people.

00:30

A total of 3,667 aftershocks since Saturday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Sichuan Province had been recorded as of 8 pm on Tuesday, the local earthquake administration said. An additional 1,131 aftershocks were newly monitored in the 24 hours from 8 pm Monday.

One had a magnitude between 4.0 and 4.9, and five with a magnitude between 3.0 and 3.9. Of the total aftershocks, 101 were monitored above 3.0-magnitude, including four between 5.0 and 5.9-magnitude. Twenty-one had a magnitude of between 4.0 and 4.9, according to the administration.

00:15

The top leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Tuesday called for national unity and courage to fight against the earthquake that jolted Southwest China's Sichuan province.

23:48

The latest development of military technologies, including a satellite navigation system and drones, has helped China carry out efficient rescue and relief efforts after Saturday's strong earthquake.

At the field headquarters of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Chengdu Military Area Command (MAC) set up for quake rescue and relief, many important decisions have been made based on latest pictures of the quake-hit areas taken by satellites, drones and reconnaissance aircrafts.

23:43

Households in the earthquake-hit areas of Southwest China's Sichuan province can access electricity again three days after a 7.0-magnitude quake cut power supply for thousands of homes in the region.

23:26

China on Tuesday again extended thanks to the countries that have offered assistance in the wake of the 7.0-magnitude quake that hit Southwest China's Sichuan province on Saturday.

23:13

New threats and hazards began to loom on Tuesday as rescue and relief efforts entered a fourth day since the 7.0-magnitude struck in Lushan county in Southwest China's Sichuan province.

Rain began falling in the morning in the region, hampering relief work and posing threats such as rain-triggered landslides and possible outbreaks of disease.

22:50

A boy salutes a soldier to show his thanks in quake-hit Baoxing county, Southwest China's Sichuan province, April 23, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

 

A total of 3,543 aftershocks after Saturday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Sichuan Province have been recorded as of 4 p.m. on Tuesday, said the China Earthquake Administration.

There were 101 aftershocks above 3.0-magnitude, including four with a magnitude between 5.0 and 5.9 and 21 with a magnitude between 4.0 and 4.9, according to the administration.

22:00

Trainers help young minds focus on the future

Zhu Yikun acted differently from the other children during a gathering on Tuesday - he bowed his head, a drawing folded in his hand, and was reluctant to talk to others.

The 10-year-old student from Lushan County Primary School was among pupils attending the gathering, aimed at providing psychological help to children affected by the magnitude-7 earthquake on Saturday.

21:34

Nearly 400 students from a quake-hit region in Southwest China's Sichuan province were moved Tuesday afternoon from their high school to the provincial capital of Chengdu, where they will resume classes on Wednesday.

The students, all from the 12th grade of Lushan Middle School, arrived at the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (SUFE) before 6 pm after a journey of about four hours.

They departed Lushan aboard nine buses sent by the university. In Chengdu, the students will prepare for the forthcoming college entrance exam, scheduled for June 7 and 8.

Lushan Middle School is the only school in Lushan that has a 12th grade. School buildings were damaged during the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Lushan on Saturday morning.

20:00

Tolls are waived on three expressways in Henan province for vehicles en route to the quake rescue.

19:21

Rainfall is expected over next three days and people affected by the quake are in urgent need of tents.

16:50

A volunteer provides hot water to rescuers at a middle school used as a temporary service site in quake-hit Baoxing county, Southwest China's Sichuan province, April 22, 2013.

16:25

 

Villagers carrying disaster relief supplies walk in the mountain in quake-hit Shifeng village of Lushan county. The road linking the Shifeng village with the outside had been destroyed by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake. Local villagers set up a 300-member group to climb mountains to get relief supplies outside and then return to the village. Over 40 tons of materials had been transported and distributed to over 2,000 villagers.

16:03

Firefighters located 165 people, including 150 survivors, within 72 hours after the quake, the Ministry of Public Security said. The ministry's fire department said firefighters relocated 6,976 people to safety within the first 72 hours after the quake, the period dubbed the "golden time" for saving lives.

15:33

Giant panda habitats near the epicenter of the quake have suffered only minor effects from the natural disaster, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said on Tuesday. Aerial remote sensing images showed that the scale of landslides triggered by the quake in the giant pandas' base located in badly hit Baoxing county, has not been that large so far, said the CAS.

15:27

Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has hit back at his critics and said a proposed HK$100 million donation to quake-hit Sichuan was based on "love, care and support for compatriots" and that the administration would bolster supervision over such funds and make sure the money was well spent, South China Morning Post reports.

15:18

BBC's John Sudworth is reporting a large aftershock in Lushan county.

15:00

It has now been 79-hours since the deadly earthquake jolted Sichuan and rescuers continue to search for survivors despite the golden time of 72 hours when the chances of surviving rapidly decrease.

14:42

Forty-four gas stations were damaged and all coal mines were shut down in quake-hit Ya'an in Sichuan province, The Beijing News reported.

14:31

Zhang Zhiyun, 62, died in shielding his 3-year-old grandson from falling wall in Longmen township.

14:20

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with US top military officer Martin Dempsey here on Tuesday. The US general offered condolences to victims of the recent earthquake in Sichuan, adding that he appreciated the Chinese military's swift participation in disaster relief there.

14:10

Rescue workers move a quake victim onto a helicopter in Baoxing county of Ya'an city, Sichuan province, April 21. Six helicopters designated by the Chengdu Military Command have helped transferred 18.4 tons of disaster relief supplies, and 42 rescue workers have pulled out 15 victims from the quake zone.

 

12:20

Rain began falling Tuesday morning in Lushan county, hampering relief work and posing new threats such as rain-triggered landslides.

Volunteers set up shelters as rain hits Lushan county, Sichuan province, on April 23, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]

11:23

Rescue workers will continue searching for survivors on Tuesday in Lingguan, a hard hit area, although the golden time for rescue has passed, which is within 72 hours after an earthquake, chinanews.com reported, citing the director of the National Earthquake Response Support Service.

10:50

The People's Liberation Army Air Force has finished seven airdrop operations and four transport missions on Tuesday, delivering 17.1 tonnes of relief supplies to the area, including bottled water, instant noodles and other food, the PLAAF headquarters said Tuesday.

A helicopter from the People's Liberation Army Air Force drops food into the farmlands of Baosheng township in Lushan county, Sichuan province, April 22, 2013. [Photo by Liu Yanmin/CFP]

10:23

A total of 3,407 aftershocks have been recorded as of 10 am Tuesday, China Earthquake Networks Center said on Weibo.

10:16

A survivor was just found in the rubble and rescued in Lushan county, China Radio Network reported.

10:00

The death toll from the quake has risen to 193 as of 6 am Tuesday, with 25 missing and 12,211 injured, according to the local civil affairs department.

09:40

Tianquan county, which has a population of 150,000, is still in need of 12,110 tents, 17,100 quilts, 200 generators and relief materials including flashlights, tarpaulins, raincoats, rice, edible oil and bottled water for its more than 100,000 affected people, Beijing Times reported Tuesday.

08:00

A total of 3,333 aftershocks had occurred after the 7.0-magnitude earthquake rattled Lushan county 8:02 am Saturday, China Earthquake Networks Center said on its official weibo account at 8:14 am Tuesday.

Of the total are four aftershocks in magnitude 5.0-5.9 on Richter scale, 21 in magnitudes 4.0—4.9, and 75 in magnitudes 3.0—3.9.

00:19

A total of 19,000 soldiers and officers from China's military and armed police forces have been sent to quake-hit areas in Sichuan province, rushing to find survivors while helping resettle 24,000 locals.

00:10

A total of 2,536 aftershocks have been recorded in quake-hit Lushan county as of 8 pm Beijing time on Monday, local authorities said.