China Quake Death Toll Tops 51,000

Almost 30,000 Still Missing, 3.3 Million Tents Needed Urgently, Toned-Down Olympic Torch Relay Resumes

(CBS/AP)  A Chinese government spokesman says the death toll in last week's earthquake has risen to more than 51,000.

Cabinet spokesman Guo Weimin told a news conference that the toll had reached 51,151, with 29,328 missing and almost 300,000 injured.

The May 12 earthquake was centered in Sichuan province.

Guo stressed the monumental task facing Chinese authorities, as they tried to distribute aid to the thousands of people left homeless in the vast affected area.

China said it needed more than 3.3 million tents to house survivors of the 7.9-magnitude quake, appealing again Thursday to the international community for help.

Meanwhile, the Olympic torch relay resumed its run through China following a three-day national mourning period for quake victims.

The May 12 earthquake destroyed or damaged millions of homes, including more than 80 percent of the buildings in some remote towns and villages near the epicenter. In bigger cities, whole apartment blocks collapsed or are now too dangerous to live in because of damage and worries about aftershocks.

"We need more than 3.3 million tents," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters, adding that 400,000 tents have already been delivered.

"We hope and welcome international assistance in this regard. We hope the international community can give priority in providing tents," he said.

Officials have said some 5 million people were left homeless by the disaster.

The torch relay, a symbol of the country's hopes for the Beijing Olympics, started with a minute of silence at a container terminal in the eastern seaport city of Ningbo. The torch run has been toned down in the wake of the May 12 quake that killed more than 41,000 people in central Sichuan province.

"Your love is our hope," said the first torchbearer, crane operator Zhu Shijie. "We all must fight the earthquake together."

Beijing Olympics organizers also said in a statement that the relay's Sichuan leg would be delayed "to support the disaster relief efforts." Originally planned for next month, the leg now will take place just before the start of the Aug. 8 games.

The end of the mourning period came after China's leaders moved to contain the political fallout from the deadly earthquake, promising a 70 billion yuan ($10 billion) reconstruction fund, reining in the media and trying to keep despair from turning to anger in the disaster zone.

State-run media, which conducted unusually probing reporting in the first days after the quake, have shifted to a more positive tone. Families in at least two towns where schools collapsed, killing their children, have protested or threatened to take local officials to court, suspecting shoddy construction.

In Beichuan, the smell of bleach was overpowering as rescue workers in white safety suits sprayed disinfectant in the area. Villagers were picking up medicine from stands set up by the government.

The town's government offices opened Thursday at a hotel in neighboring Anxian county.

"Our previous office buildings collapsed, but our responsibilities, never," Ma Yun, head of the county's administrative office, was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua News Agency.

Blocked streams, earthquake-loosened soil, mudslides and the upcoming rainy season create the risk of secondary disasters that can make relief work and rebuilding even more difficult, officials with the Ministry of Land and Resources said Thursday.

Avoiding further geological disasters during relief work and rebuilding will be a "daunting task," said Yun Xiaosu, vice minister of land and resources.

The earthquake and aftershocks created 34 lakes, known as barrier lakes, as debris blocked rivers and streams throughout the earthquake area.

"The dangers at the barrier lakes are severe," Yun said. "The water level in some lakes is high and rising. If there's a break, it will cause severe damage."

People who might be in the way of breaks already have been evacuated, he added.

The region's rainy season starts in June, creating further problems and risk of major mudslides, Yun said.

[keithle1]

Instant karma. No tears here.

[reader6402]

nutsie11,
There are more generous people out there that donate money, time and even risk their life to help less fortunate people. If you can''t be one of them, please do not make hateful comments to the unfortunate people.

And I wish you never experience the loss of a loved one if you do have love and compassion toward other human beings.

[knecht153]

Nusie, you are the reason why the word "Ugly American" was invented and why our country finds it difficult to complete in the global marketplace. You are just the type of "Trailer-Park-Trash" from Appalachia that supports Hilary Clinton.

[knecht153]

nutsie, you are the quintessential "Ugly American," which one of the reasons why it is so difficult for the USA to compete in the global marketplace. You remind me of the "Trailer Park White Trash" from Appalachia that habitually votes for Hilary Clinton. The problem with people like you is that "you don''t even know what you don''t know."

[CB_Brooklyn]

These disasters are probably being created by the "Global Elite".

See Dr Judy Wood''s latest paper on "black-op" technology and how it''s being used against us instead of for productive purposes:

9/11 Weather Anomalies and Field Effects
http://www.drjudywood.com/articles/erin/


How many know there was a powerful hurricane (Erin) in the Atlantic Ocean in September of 2001? Hurricane Erin was closest to NYC, and at its largest size, on 9/11.

Hurricanes and tornadoes resemble gigantic Tesla Coils, a building block of free-energy technology. See above paper for more information.

[rosesnpearls]

The policies of their government does not mean that we cannot show compassion for the families who have lost loved ones, often their only child, and may not even be able to recover their body.

And AL2008, you have got to be kidding. Global warming does not cause earthquakes.

[tootall10142]

To bad the US inspectors werent over ther when it happened ,we could got rid of them at the same time these people laziness cost us american infants lives,i have no sympathy for the chinese they steal our patents ourideas then sell back to corp greeds.I will not see you in wally-world they support chinese industry and you feed themyou sweat and wages and the safety of your own children.

[s002wjh-2009]

@nutsie11

let see how you feel when you lost your love one.

[al2008-2009]

I%u2019m appalled at the administration%u2019s lack of response to the global warming earthquakes, hurricanes, and cyclones as well. We have no comprehensive strategy in place whatsoever, let alone a detailed plan of action to mitigate the effects of these quakes and cyclones, and mother earth continues to suffer while the administration refuses to go forward and do what%u2019s right for mother earth.
.
How long must we sit idly by while our mother continues to suffer from the warming taking place at a feverish pace? How long must our mother suffer before we have proper c02 taxes put into place? How long must the destruction of mother earth take place before we finally put responsible regulations into effect? How long must we wait until we beef up our corn ethanol production? At least Obama wants to cut c02 pollution by 80%; he is definitely our best hope.
.
We the people call upon our leaders to implement a comprehensive antiglobal warming strategy at once and work in coordination with state and federal officials; these quakes, cyclones and disasters continue to worsen and the quicker we stop the warming the sooner we will see these quakes and storms cease. We need action now.

[bks59]

nutsie11:

Your care and compassion is incomprehensible, may you never experience the loss of a friend or familiy members who''s body is never found.