China quake toll surpasses 12,000

A Touching Scene

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao picks up a shoe and a schoolbag at a school which collapsed in Dujiangyan city of southwest China’s Sichuan Province on Tuesday.

A strong quake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale jolted Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province Monday afternoon.

Tremors were felt in all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities in China except the northeastern Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces and the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region.

The quake has caused deaths, injuries, cut of electricity, communication, transportation and water supply. Chinese government has taken series of measures for disaster relief work.

Monday’s quake was the deadliest in China since the 1976 quake that struck Tangshan city, east of Beijing. The quake killed 2,40,000 persons.

I would like to extend my deep sympathy and heartfelt condolences to those families who have been directly affected by the strong earthquake and I offer my prayers for those who have lost their lives and those injured in the quake