China quake rescue operations face rising toll, strained public services

According to state wire service Xinhua, the official death toll rose to 22,069 yesterday, with 21,577 in Sichuan and the remainder in nearby provinces or autonomous zones: 364 in Gansu, 109 in Shaanxi, 15 in Chongqing, 2 in Henan, 1 in Yunnan, and 1 in Hubei. A rescue headquarters directed by the State Council and headed by Premier Wen Jiabao estimated yesterday that the death toll would probably exceed 50,000.

There were 168,669 wounded, including 159,006 in Sichuan. Xinhua also reported that at least 14,000 people remained buried under collapsed buildings and debris as of yesterday. For any who have survived trapped under the rubble without food or water, time is fast running out.

Rescue efforts are often proceeding with hand tools for lack of heavy machinery, which in any case cannot reach many of the worst-hit areas due to narrow mountain roads being blocked by landslides. Paratroopers are being dropped into some of these accessible regions.

Sichuan province Vice-Governor Li Chengyun also told a news conference that 4,807,200 people had been made homeless in the province6 percent of Sichuans population. The Ministry of Civil Affairs told Xinhua that 181,470 tents, 170,000 cotton-padded clothes, and 220,000 quilts had been allocated to the disaster area.

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