Chinese earthquake victims count over 600. Rescue teams are fighting time to save lives

The rescue teams are leading a fight against time to find the victims of the powerful earth shake that hit North-West China at 6.9 on Wednesday morning. Over 600 hundred people lost their lives, temporary data coming from the authorities indicate on Thursday, April 15. Other several thousands are now homeless, Reuters informs.

Rescue teams face strong winds and lack of oxygen, while making use of shovels, iron poles and their bare hands to find survivors under the ruins of Jiegu, the most hard-hit city. Doctors have created ad-hic hospitals in tents.

Thousands of people spent the night of Wednesday to Thursday under the clear sky, putting up with temperatures close to the freezing line, after they saw almost all houses in Jiegu being destroyed.

The number of those found dead is currently 617, among which tens of children, while the injured count over 9,110, the state television service informs. They expect the number of the dead to keep growing: over 300 people are still buried under the ruins.

President Hu Jintao asked authorities to take all measures necessary to save as many as possible.

Over 5,000 rescue staff, including 700 soldiers, are currently on the scene.

The Chinese Government announced the allocation of 29 million dollars for the survivors of the most terrifying earthquake in the last two years.