An earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale has hit southwest
China, some 95km northwest of Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province. The
earthquake occurred at 2.28pm local time on Monday, and was felt as far away as
Hanoi and Bangkok. State media say 14,866 people are confirmed dead.
High-rise offices in many Chinese cities, including Shanghai and Beijing, were subsequently evacuated for fear of after shocks. Eye witnesses in Chengdu said buildings continued to shake for up to three minutes after the quake.
State media reports that mobile and land-line telecoms networks in the cities of Chengdu, Chongqing and Zhengzhou broke down temporarily after the quake.
Xinhua adds that President Hu Jintao has ordered "all-out efforts to help those affected by a major earthquake," that jolted Wenchuan County of southwest China's Sichuan Province. Premier Wen Jiabao is reportedly on his way to the area to direct the rescue programme.
Casualty figures from the earthquake are rising every hour. Xinhua confirms that 14,866 people died. Nearly 900 students are reported to have been buried in the earthquake, according to state media. Details remain sketchy, but reports say the students were buried when their school building collapsed in Dujiangyan, near the epicentre of the quake in Sichuan province.
American computer manufacturer Dell and its employees will donate up to RMB2.1m to aid relief efforts, PRDomain quoted Michael Dell, Chairman and CEO of the company. Dell has more than 6,000 employees on its payroll in Chengdu, Chongqing and other cities.
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