By Xinhua,
Beijing : The death toll from the powerful earthquake in China’s south-west Sichuan province rose to 22,069 nationwide as of 2 p.m. Friday, while 168,669 people were injured, the emergency response office of the State Council said.
In Sichuan, a total of 21,577 people were killed and 159,006 were injured.
At least 17 people have been rescued as of 4. 30 p.m. Friday from debris in Beichuan county seat, Sichuan Province, a town where only one in every five people survived Monday’s strong earthquake, Beichuan quake control and relief headquarters said.
Beichuan county seat has a population of more than 20,000 before the earthquake. More than 4,000 people managed to escape, over 3,000 were confirmed dead as of Wednesday, while the others are reported missing.