Quake death toll rises to 68,516

The Information Office of the State Council says more than 45.5 million people have now been affected by the Wenchuan earthquake.

The death toll has risen to 68,516. More than 19,000 people are still listed as missing, and over 365,000 others have been injured. Over 15 million people have been evacuated or relocated from the quake zone.

In the 24 hours starting from midday Wednesday, the China Seismological Bureau reported 219 tremors measuring less than 3.9 on the Richter scale. Meanwhile, donations from home and abroad have reached 37.3 billion yuan. More than 10 billion yuan has already been forwarded to the quake-affected areas. The central and local governments have allocated over 20 billion yuan for rescue and relief work.