Death toll rises to 617 in China's Qinghai quake

The death-toll from Wednesday's earthquake in northwest China's Qinghai province has risen to 617, with 10,000 injured. President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao have urged all-out efforts to save lives and provide assistance to the quake-hit province.

Vice Premier Hui Liangyu is in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture to direct relief efforts.

The strong quake has been followed by a string of aftershocks, the biggest measuring 6.3 on the Richter Scale. They've toppled over 15,000 houses, triggered landslides, damaged roads, cut power supplies, and disrupted telecommunications. About 100,000 people need to be evacuated. Fissures have been found in a reservoir, which holds 3-million-cubic-meters of water.

The government has allocated 200 million yuan, or about 30 million US dollars, from the Central Fund for Disaster Relief.