Published: 22 Apr 2013 at 00.00
His Majesty the King has sent a message of condolence to Chinese President Xi Jinping over the deaths caused by the Sichuan earthquake on Saturday.
The message reads: "The Queen and I are deeply saddened by the news of the recent earthquake in Sichuan province causing heavy loss of lives and considerable casualties. We would like to extend our sincere sympathy and heartfelt condolences to Your Excellency, and through you, to all those who have suffered loss and bereavement in this natural disaster."
Rescuers and relief teams yesterday struggled to rush supplies into the rural hills of Sichuan province as the death toll from the quake reached 208 and over 1,000 were seriously injured.
The earthquake triggered landslides that cut off roads and disrupted phone and power connections in mountainous Lushan county, further south on the same fault line where a devastating quake wreaked widespread damage across the region five years ago.
In Longmen village, authorities said nearly all the buildings had been destroyed in a frightening minute-long shaking by the quake.
In the town of Shuangli, corn farmer Zheng Xianlan said she had rushed from the fields back to her home when the quake struck, and cried when she saw that the roof had collapsed. She then spent the night outdoors on a worn sofa using a plastic raincoat for cover.
Link: http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/346365/king-addened-by-deaths
