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Over 8,500 killed in China quake; no Indian affected
LAST UPDATE: Tuesday, 13 May 2008 - 12:18:18 AM
BEIJING: Over 8,500 people were killed as the deadliest earthquake in recent decades jolted southwest Chinas Sichuan province, as Premier Wen Jiabao appealed for "calm, confidence and courage" in the face of "disaster".
The quake measuring 7.8 on the Richter Scale unleashed a colossal devastation in Beichun County in northeast Sichuan, where alone up to 3,000-5,000 people were feared dead, Xinhua news agency said quoting provincial disaster headquarters.
However, no Indians were affected by the devastating earthquake, Indian embassy sources said.
"No problem (has been reported) so far, as far as Indians are concerned", embassy sources told PTI. The embassy had checked with known contacts in Chengdu and other sources, they said.
Officials said 80 per cent of the buildings toppled in Beichuan Qiang Autonomous County, northwest of the provincial capital of Chengdu, 146 kms from Wenchuan County, the epicenter of the killer quake.
Quoting the Sichuan local government, Xihuna tonight put the toll at 8,533.
"The casualty calculation is still going on", the agency said earlier, quoting the national headquarters for disaster relief.
Nearly 900 students were also feared buried after a high school building collapsed at Dujiangyan City, about 100 kms from the earthquakes epicenter of Wenchuan County in Sichuan province, Xinhua said. It gave no other immediate details.
"My fellow Chinese, facing such a severe disaster, we need calm, confidence, courage and efficient organisation", Jiabao said as he flew to affected area to oversee relief work.
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