A earthquake devastated southwestern China on Monday, killing close to 9,000 people and trapping hundreds of others under flattened schools, factories and houses.
The 7.8 magnitude quake, centered in Sichuan province, struck in the middle of the school day and toppled at least eight schools. Factories and at least one hospital were also razed, trapping hundreds more, state media said.
The death toll appeared likely to climb in China's worst earthquake for over three decades.
About 900 teenagers were buried in the rubble of a collapsed three-storey school building in the Sichuan city of Dujiangyan. Villagers helped dozens of students out as cranes excavated the site.
In Shefang city in Sichuan, 6,000 residents were evacuated after two chemical plants were leveled, trapping more than a hundred people and spilling corrosive liquids.
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