Wednesday, May 14, 2008

China's grief grows by the day

May 14 - A massive operation to rescue the victims of one of China's deadliest earthquakes is continuing as the death toll continues to rise.

Tens of thousands of troops, firefighters and civilians raced to save more than 25,000 people buried across a wide swathe of southwest Sichuan province under collapsed schools, factories and hospitals after Monday's 7.9 magnitude quake. The official death toll climbed to 14,866, as rescuers pulled at tangled chunks of buildings for signs of life. The government sent 50,000 troops to dig for victims.