| The death toll and the missing from the | | | | been buried by mud slides in recent |
| massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake in | | | | days. |
| China is now over 71,000 with tens of | | | | The official death toll now stands at |
| thousands missing, and more the | | | | 34,073, but tens of thousands are know |
| 5,000,000 homeless. China's government | | | | still buried under the rubble. Many |
| has appealed for international aid at | | | | bodies lay by roadsides in body bags or |
| the beginning of a three-day period of | | | | wrapped in plastic sheeting, as |
| mourning for tens of thousands of people | | | | authorities struggled to dig burial pits |
| killed by a huge earthquake: an | | | | and crematoriums worked overtime. Much |
| unprecedented act for China. | | | | like cyclone Nargis that slammed into |
| The country's 1.3 billion population | | | | Burma two weeks ago, the death tool is |
| observed three minutes of silence | | | | just too staggering to comprehend let |
| exactly seven days after the tremor left | | | | alone handle. |
| an estimated 71,000 people dead. The | | | | China issued an international appeal for |
| horns of cars, trains and ships sounded | | | | donations of tents to provide shelter |
| with air raid sirens to mark the moment, | | | | for millions of homeless earthquake |
| at 6.28am GMT. The massive earthquake | | | | survivors. "Because the Sichuan |
| was one of the strongest in recent | | | | earthquake destroyed vast numbers of |
| times. | | | | homes in a region that is in its rainy |
| The mourning period begins as hope of | | | | season, we urgently need a large number |
| finding more trapped survivors dwindled, | | | | of tents," said foreign ministry |
| and the need to prevent hunger and | | | | spokesman Qin Gang. "We hope that the |
| disease among the homeless became more | | | | international community will put tents |
| pressing. Hundreds of aftershocks and | | | | as the first priority when they supply |
| continuing bad weather hampered the | | | | aid." |
| rescue operation. The Transport Ministry | | | | Adn they are! |
| said more than 200 relief workers had | | | | |