Date: Sat May 17 2008 - 21:10:45 PDT
On Monday, May 12, at 2.28 p.m. Beijing time (6:28 GMT), a major earthquake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, jolted southwestern China's Sichuan Province. Several lower-scale earthquakes and aftershocks followed in the same area. The quake destroyed many buildings in the area, as well as infrastructure like communication towers.
According to the latest reports, more than 30,000 people have died and many more have been injured or are reported missing. Many schools were destroyed, including one that had at least 900 students in it. As authorities reach more remote areas, these numbers are expected to rise.
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