Search for families after China quake bitter

By John Ruwitch

MIANYANG, China (Reuters) - Yang Jianbo and Chen Xiaolin scour printouts taped on a wall at a sports arena listing thousands of earthquake survivors who have been accounted for, then turn and walk slowly away.

The name of their cousin, Yang Gan, is not there.

The 32-year-old businessman had travelled to the Sichuan hill town of Beichuan on May 8 to buy chunks of mountain rock to be carved into statues or sliced into tablets.

"We talked to him the day before the earthquake, so he was definitely there," said Yang Jianbo.

As much as the devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake in China's southwestern Sichuan province tore apart buildings, it has done the same to families. In the chaotic aftermath information has been hard to come by in the search for loved ones.

On Monday, the day of the quake, Yang Gan and six associates had lunch together at the Beichuan Hotel, where they were staying. That was the last anyone heard from him.

Three checked out after eating and left town. They were in the city of Mianyang when the earthquake struck, said Yang Jianbo. Yang Gan and the others are missing.

"We contacted China Mobile and they said his cell phone was in Beichuan, specifically the Beichuan Hotel," Yang Jianbo said.