China Earthquake Mourning

The death toll and the missing from the massive200 relief workers had been buried by mud slides
7.9 magnitude earthquake in China is now overin recent days.
71,000 with tens of thousands missing, and moreThe official death toll now stands at 34,073, but
the 5,000,000 homeless. China's government hastens of thousands are know still buried under the
appealed for international aid at the beginning of arubble. Many bodies lay by roadsides in body bags
three-day period of mourning for tens ofor wrapped in plastic sheeting, as authorities
thousands of people killed by a huge earthquake:struggled to dig burial pits and crematoriums
an unprecedented act for China.worked overtime. Much like cyclone Nargis that
The country's 1.3 billion population observed threeslammed into Burma two weeks ago, the death
minutes of silence exactly seven days after thetool is just too staggering to comprehend let
tremor left an estimated 71,000 people dead. Thealone handle.
horns of cars, trains and ships sounded with airChina issued an international appeal for donations
raid sirens to mark the moment, at 6.28am GMT.of tents to provide shelter for millions of
The massive earthquake was one of thehomeless earthquake survivors. "Because the
strongest in recent times.Sichuan earthquake destroyed vast numbers of
The mourning period begins as hope of findinghomes in a region that is in its rainy season, we
more trapped survivors dwindled, and the need tourgently need a large number of tents," said
prevent hunger and disease among the homelessforeign ministry spokesman Qin Gang. "We hope
became more pressing. Hundreds of aftershocksthat the international community will put tents as
and continuing bad weather hampered the rescuethe first priority when they supply aid."
operation. The Transport Ministry said more thanAdn they are!