The most powerful earthquake in 30 years devastated the southwest of the country.
Rescue teams are digging through rubble, trying to reach survivors of a powerful earthquake in China. Bodies covered with sheets lined streets yesterday as rescue workers dug through schools and homes turned into rubble. The total number of casualties remains unknown as heavy storms prevented relief workers from reaching victims at the epicenter of the powerful quake. The official death toll rose to more than 12,000 in Sichuan Province alone, with thousands remained buried or missing.
There was concern today for a group of 15 British tourists missing in the Chinese earthquake. The quake was centered just north of the Sichuan provincial capital, Chengdu, tearing into urban areas and mountain villages. In Mianyang City alone near the epicenter, 3,629 people were dead and 18,645 were still buried in debris, Xinhua reported.
At least 4,800 people also remained buried in Mianzhu, 100km from the epicenter, Xinhua said, citing local authorities. in Gansu Province, a 40-car freight train derailed in the quake that included 13 gasoline tankers was still burning yesterday, Xinhua said.
In Chengdu, gasoline lines grew and people huddled by TVs in shops and hotels watching the news. Grocery stores shelves were almost empty and the fast food restaurant KFC had run out of food.
In Turkey's devastating 1999 earthquake, building codes were excellent, but "fly by night builders" had erected buildings using "extremely poor" materials.
This seems to be the case in China as many schools collapsed. I guess you can buy the building inspector, but you can't buy off the earthquake.
One of the last survivors of the quake, a woman who survived on rainwater was freed after being trapped in rubble for 195 hours. Chinese government officials raised the death toll to 60,560 with another 26,221 people missing and 353,290 injured.
Nearly every building in Yingxiu was destroyed and no residents remain there. Calls for aid help were have been sent to the international community.
Latest: Two more aftershocks struck quake-ravaged China this week, injuring at least 63 people and causing the collapse of more than 420,000 homes, according to the state-run news agency Xinhua.
Tags: Quake China Earthquake Video May Disaster Mianyang 地震 Panic
![China Earthquake 7.8 [2008/05/12]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/__hYw9p8Ouk/default.jpg)
