Hunt for survivors as China quake toll hits 600

RESCUERS with shovels and bare hands were still clawing through rubble late last night to hunt for survivors of a quake in a remote area of China which killed over 600 people and left thousands homeless.

A huge relief effort was under way to send vital aid such as tents and medical supplies to the disaster zone, as doctors set up makeshift hospitals and rescuers battled bitingly cold weather and a lack of oxygen. Thousands spent another night without shelter in freezing temperatures after the 6.9 magnitude quake, which hit Yushu county in northwestern Qinghai province on Wednesday, destroying almost all the houses in Jiegu, the local capital.

The number who perished rose to 617, including dozens of children, while the number of injured stood at 9,110, state television reported.