Chinese Earthquake Causes 9,000 Dead, Buries Students, Sparks Chemical Leak

The magnitude 7.9 earthquake shook much of China early this afternoon about 2:30 p.m. The hardest hit area appears to be Sichuan province where 8,533 have been reported dead. At least 300 others were killed in three other provinces and a major city, Chongqing took a huge hit from Mother Nature. In Sichuan province's Bueichuan county almost 80 per cent of the buildings have been destroyed. As rescue efforts begin there is the fear that the death toll will start to raise. A chemical plant in Shifang city has cratered burying hundreds of people while spilling 80 tons of toxic liquid ammonia. This afternoon's quake was felt as far away as Thailand. The quake's epicenter was about 60 miles from Chengdu, a city of 3.75 million. The quake hit during the middle of the afternoon with students in classes and business offices filled with workers. The initial tremor lasted for almost three minutes. "It was really scary to be on the 26th floor in something like that," said Tom Weller, a 49-year-old American oil and gas consultant staying at the Holiday Inn. "You had to hold on to something like that or you'd fall over. It shook for so long and so violently, you wondered how long the building would be able to stand this." Most of the buildings within the cities held up to the powerful shaking but rural structures did not fare as well. Several schools collapsed. Landslides have hindered rescue efforts. The government is having to move it's people into affected areas by foot as heavy rain has prevent four military helicopters from being able to land. In Mianyang city all able-bodied men under the age of 50 have been ordered to take water and tools to Beichuan to help with the rescue area. The city has 80 percent of its structures fallen. As people wait for help they have felt 313 aftershooks.