Soldiers and rescuers are battling to save tens of thousands of people trapped under rubble as the death toll from China’s earthquake is expected to soar. 13,000 people are now known to have died but a further 60,000 remain unaccounted for. There have been some success stories. One child was pulled out alive. The cries of others could be heard in the debris. Time and the weather is against them. Heavy rain is hampering rescue efforts, as are torn-up roads.

Survivors face nights of misery sleeping in the open, fearing the consequences of aftershocks. Beijing has launched a massive relief operation but even with all its resources the People’s Army, led by expert rescue teams, is overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster.

Ordinary Chinese are doing what they can, forming long queues to give blood.

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