Hu orders all-out efforts, Wen visits Sichuan;Tremors felt across China, Southeast Asian countries

MORE than 8,533 were feared dead and 10,000 injured by press time yesterday after a powerful earthquake hit Sichuan Province, said the disaster relief headquarters headed by Premier Wen Jiabao.

Most of the casualties were reported in Beichuan County in northern Sichuan.

Nearly 900 students were buried under debris in Dujiangyan City near the epicenter in Wenchuan County as several schools and a water tower collapsed following the tremors.

The 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Wenchuan, about 159 kilometers from the provincial capital of Chengdu, at 2:28 p.m., and sent thousands of people rushing out of buildings and into the streets hundreds of kilometers away in Beijing and Shanghai.

Tremors were felt in Ningxia, Qinghai, Gansu, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Shandong, Yunnan, Hunan, Hubei, Yunnan, Jiangsu and Tibet. The quake was also felt in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, and in countries as far away as Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand.

President Hu Jintao yesterday ordered all-out efforts to help the affected.

Wen appealed for public calm and efficient organization of disaster relief work after arriving at Dujiangyan.

“My fellow citizens, facing such a severe disaster, we need calm, confidence, courage and efficient organization,” he said.

The road from Dujiangyan to Wenchuan was blocked by rock and mud slides, holding up rescue, medical and other disaster relief teams, a witness told Xinhua.

Wen asked military personnel to enter the area as soon as possible even if they had to walk to Wenchuan.

(Xinhua)

(Special reports on Pages 6, 7)