The death toll is mounting in China's south-western Sichuan Province following the country's worst earthquake in three decades. Confirmed deaths as of May 13 are nearing 10,000, but are expected to increase as reports filter in from devastated regions.
The 7.8 magnitude quake, which centred on Wenchuan County some 100 kilometres from Sichuan's provincial capital Chengdu, caused tremors across the country, reaching as far as Thailand and Vietnam.
While buildings swayed in Beijing, driving people out of their offices and into the street, large-scale destruction is surfacing from Sichuan Province.
Pilots, who were requested to fly in by Sichuan's premier Jiang Jufeng to determine the damage around Wenchuan County on the day of the quake, were reported to be near tears on their return. Around 95 per cent of the buildings had collapsed, they said, and "more people were lying motionless than appeared alive", SOH Radio Network reported.
"More people were lying motionless than appeared alive."
It is now estimated that over half the 100,000 population of Wenchuan County may not have survived.
Around 2400 students are also reported to be trapped or killed inside collapsed school buildings in and around the area.
Military forces are reported to be making their way to aid Wenchuan residents, who have been isolated without telecommunication or rail travel, but road damage and sudden heavy rain and storms are hindering their progress.
One Sichuan resident told The Epoch Times reporters: "Where I live is about 200 miles [322km] away from the epicentre. The local communication network has been cut off. This earthquake is worse than the Tangshan earthquake. The situation is still very severe."
Another said: "None of our phones work; our mobile phones have been cut off. The transportation system is down, too."
Comparisons are being made to the Great Tangshan earthquake that took place 32 years ago in 1976 in the north-eastern region of China. Tangshan is understood to be the largest earthquake of the 20th century by death toll, with official figures standing at 300,000, but unofficial figures estimating up to 700,000 lives lost.
Australian Aid
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said the Australian Government is in discussion with Chinese counterparts on humanitarian aid to the devastated region and is on standby to offer expert urban search and rescue capabilities through Emergency Management Australia.
As yet, no Australians have been reported missing in the recent quake, but the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are attempting to contact Australians residing there and have issued a statement calling on Australians travelling in the region to contact friends and families.
One Australian, Geoff McGuigan, was in Chengdu airport when the earthquake hit.
"The main glass in the windows was bulging out like bubbles about to burst," he told Seven network.
Mr McGuigan said he had to make his way from the second level to the ground to get out of the terminal.
"As we went you could see it [the road] move and shudder and twist and flex as it became more intense.
"As we got closer to getting to the ground level, one of the expansion joints between the sections of the roadway – the road lifted at the joint from one side and then just slipped back down again."
Meanwhile, more reports of devastation are coming in from around the province.
In Mianzhu City not far from the epicentre, a turbine factory of 6000 workers has been completely destroyed. According to China News, hundreds are still buried inside.
Juyuan Middle School in Dujiangyan City has 1800 teachers and students, about 900 of whom are buried under the rubble. The death toll is not yet known, SOH Radio Network reported.
The quake knocked down a large number of school buildings in Sichuan Province, including virtually all buildings in Dujiangyan area. Hundreds are also reported to be buried under rubble in a collapsed hospital in that region.
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