Chinese prime minister speeds up rescue efforts
Published: 16 April, 2010
While rescuers are still looking for survivors in the earthquake hit area of Yushu county, in the remote Tibetan mountain area, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao promised to rebuild a quake-hit region.
During his visit to the area, Mr Wen promised that "all-out efforts" would be made to rebuild the region.
It is now estimated that 791 people died and 294 are missing, but local people say they believe the toll is much higher.
The Chinese government also says that 11,486 people were injured by the 6.9 quake.
With an estimated 15,000 houses destroyed in Yushu, thousands of homeless people and casualties have been waiting for help.
According to BBC reports, many townspeople are staying outside despite the cold, fearful of going back even where their homes have survived. Others are leaving town, with whatever they can carry.
Heavy-lifting equipment has begun to trickle into the area after being brought in by road from hundreds of kilometres away, and food, tents and medical supplies are arriving too.
The quake, which struck on Wednesday morning at the shallow depth of 10km (six miles), knocked out phone and power lines, and triggered landslides, blocking vital roads.
