One of the most devastating earthquakes to hit China in three decades has killed at least 8,500 people.
China's official Xinhua news agency said another 10,000 people were injured. The epicentre of the magnitude-7.8 quake was in the southwestern province of Sichuan. Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has hurried to the region and called the temblor a "major disaster". Xinhua said 80 percent of the buildings in one county have collapsed. Many hospitals, school buildings and dormitories were full when the quake struck in the afternoon local time. Hundreds of thousands of survivors in Sichuan and neighbouring provinces must now face a night outdoors as the structural integrity of most buildings is no longer guaranteed.
(Deutsche Casualties reported as strong earthquake hits China ...
Western media 'demonises' China ... Welle)
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