China quake death toll climbs

(02:00) Report

May 13 - The number killed in China's most devastating earthquake in three decades rises as storms hamper rescuers.

Rescuers were reporting scenes of devastation at the epicentre at Wenchuan, a remote county about 100 km northwest of Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan. The quake was felt as far southwest as Bangkok, about 3,200 km away, where office buildings swayed for several minutes.

Michelle Carlile-Alkhouri reports.

SOUNDBITES:

Mr Ma, Dujiangyan resident, saying, (Mandarin):
"I don't know how this happened. It just happened and everything was gone."

Yasuo Fukuda, Japanese Prime Minister, saying (Japanese):
"We've conveyed our condolences and readiness to provide assistance at their request and we're ready to do anything to help."