Emergency teams have been pouring into western China's Qinghai province, after Wednesday's deadly earthquake devastated the mountainous region.
The 6.9-magnitude tremor left at least 760 people dead, more than 11,000 injured and some 240 missing. But nearly 1,000 people have been pulled out alive from the rubble.
Rescuers used bare hands and picks to search the debris on the first day, in the disaster-hit remote county of Yushu.
Civilians also joined in the rescue effort in the disaster zone, 800km away from the provincial capital Xining.
Houses collapsed while many families were still at home, trapping them under fallen masonry and twisted metal. In some parts of the disaster zone up to 85% of buildings were razed.
One witness described the area as looking like a war zone. The death toll is expected to rise, said officials.
Bewildered survivors thronged the streets, as aftershocks rattled already-damaged buildings.
Forecasters have predicted wind and sleet, putting homeless victims of the tremor at risk of exposure. The government has sent thousands of tents and blankets, along with other essentials.
What are these?
One-Minute World News
~RS~a~RS~International~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~52~RS~){kind=small}
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~52~RS~)
E-mail this to a friend
Bookmark with:
What are these?