Special report: Strong Earthquake Jolts SW China

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao presides over the 10th meeting of the general headquarters of quake relief under the State Council in Beijing, capital of China, May 19, 2008.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday ordered troops to expand the coverage of their quake rescue work and reach all affected villages within 24 hours.

    He also ordered stepped-up epidemic prevention work and the proper handling of the quake aftermath.

    Troops must "overcome all difficulties and make sure to go into all villages within 24 hours," Wen said, presiding over a meeting of the general headquarters of quake relief under the State Council (cabinet).

    Wen, who heads the relief headquarters, was briefed during the meeting on the rescue of trapped people, treatment of the injured, the handling of victims' bodies and health and epidemic prevention work in the quake areas.

    The death toll rose to 34,073 as of noon on Monday, according to the headquarters under the State Council. Another 245,108 people were injured in the 8-magnitude quake that jolted southwestern Sichuan Province last Monday.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (C) presides over the 10th meeting of the general headquarters of quake relief under the State Council in Beijing, capital of China, May 19, 2008.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    Medical treatment, epidemic prevention teams and medical equipment and material must reach all quake areas, and where no medics or disease prevention workers have arrived, arrangements must be made for airlifting medics and medicine to these places, the meeting said.

    Within the next five days, 500 more health and epidemic prevention workers would be sent each day to the quake areas, and 1,000 health supervisors would be deployed, the headquarters said.

    The National Development and Reform Commission and the Health Ministry were told at the meeting to mobilize epidemic prevention resources from other parts of the country and commission enterprises in Sichuan or neighboring provinces to produce disinfectant medicine.

    Meanwhile, the meeting urged the immediate printing of 5 million brochures to be distributed to the quake areas, and it asked newspapers to publish columns to enhance the public awareness of epidemic prevention.

    It also asked for the immediate distribution of 400 mobile phones equipped with epidemic reporting software and positioning systems to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, in an effort to beef up the direct epidemic reporting work.

    The meeting also covered the proper handling of the victims. As bodies were found, they should be quickly identified under the guidance of the health department. Meanwhile, work should be done properly concerning the consolation of each victim's relatives, it said.

    The headquarters also ordered proper arrangements for orphans, the bereaved elderly and bereaved handicapped people. Under a decision of the State Council, within the next three months, each of them will be offered 600 yuan (86 U.S. dollars) every month for basic living expenses.

    The meeting directed the Ministry of Civil Affairs to immediately start the identification of these three categories of people among quake survivors.

Chinese rescuers reach all quake-hit villages

    CHENGDU, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Rescuers reached the remotest quake-hit villages in mountainous Sichuan Province on Monday, a week after the 8.0-magnitude earthquake that it's feared could claim more than 50,000 lives.

    Li Chengyun, vice governor of Sichuan, told reporters here that the rescuers had arrived at all 3,669 quake-affected villages in Sichuan as of 2:28 p.m. on Monday, with the last 77 villages getting help since midnight on Sunday. Full story

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) comforts a baby at a relief center in Shifang city, southwest China's Sichuan Province, May 18, 2008. President Hu, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC), arrived in Shifang City to console the victims and rescuers on Sunday morning.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

President Hu orders rescuers to reach every quake-hit village by "every available means"

    SHIFANG, Sichuan, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Sunday asked rescuers to use "every available means" to reach every village affected by the May 12 earthquake in southwest China.

    "We must try every method to send rescuers to every quake-hit village, instead of just working in towns and cities, since a large number of soldiers have entered the quake-hit regions," said Hu, while visiting Yinghua township of Shifang city, Sichuan Province.  Full story

Premier Wen urges quake research, early warning to minimize casualties

    BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday urged scientists and experts to intensify the research on earthquake and provide better warnings.

    Wen made the remark while presiding over a meeting of the earthquake relief headquarters of the State Council held at China Seismological Bureau (CSB).  Full story

President Hu renews call to save lives in remote villages 

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) talks with with military officers when he inspects disaster relief work in the quake-hit Xuankou Town of Wenchuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province, May 17, 2008. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    CHENGDU, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Saturday urged rescue teams to reach remote villages that were battered by the strong earthquake in the southwestern Sichuan Province as soon as possible. Full story

Chinese President encourages quake victims to overcome difficulties

Chinese President Hu Jintao consoles locals in a village in Beichuan county, May 16, 2008. He encouraged them to be confident in overcoming hardships caused by the disaster.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, May 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao Friday went to Beichuan County of Mianyang City to visit people affected by the southwest China earthquake, encouraging them to be confident in overcoming hardships caused by the disaster. Full story

Chinese Premier stresses all-out efforts to rescue quake victims

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao presides a meeting of the general headquarters of quake relief under the State Council Saturday afternoon. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Saturday underscored unremitting efforts in searching and rescuing people buried in debris in the earthquake in southwestern Sichuan Province. Full story