Quake kills 156, injures thousands in south-west China
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Beijing - At least 156 people were killed and more than 5,000 injured when a magnitude-6.6 earthquake struck Saturday in south-wes tChina, destroying buildings and triggering landslides, state media reported.
Ten military aircraft carrying some 7,500 soldiers from across China were descending on a mountainous area of Sichuan province in hopes of rescuing those who might still be trapped in the rubble, the official Xinhua news agency reported.
The quake, which was initially reported as registering 6.9 or 7.0, struck Lushan county at 08:02 am (0002 GMT), according to the US Geological Survey.
Many roads in the region are reported to be impassable and telephone connections are spotty. The Civil Affairs Ministry said it is sending relief supplies to the region, including 30,000 tents and 50,000 blankets.
Four hours after it first struck, 264 aftershocks had been registered, two measuring more than 5.0.//DPA
