Update: China's Death Count Expects To Go Beyond 50,000

May 15, 2008 8:36 p.m. EST

Beijing, China (AHN) - Although the official death toll in China caused by Monday's 7.8 magnitude earthquake at last count was 19,500, the state media hinted Thursday it may go beyond 50,000.

The numbers keep rising in Asia's largest nation shaken badly by the tremor. The number of affected Sichuan residents had gone up to 10 million people, while 30,000 more troops are on their way to the devastated province to augment the 50,000 already searching through the rubble of collapsed structures.

The magnitude of the damage has so humbled Chinese leaders that Beijing agreed to take in foreign assistance, including rescue teams from Japan and Taiwan, the BBC said.

Meanwhile, the number of injured has also ballooned to more than 100,000 Chinese. The Sichuan provincial government has so far spent $95.7 million to cover disaster relief expenses. according to Xinhua News.

To speed up the search and rescue operations in quake-ravaged regions, the Chinese government requested donations of rescue equipment such as hammers, shovels, cranes and ribber boats.

At the same time, Beijing's Health Ministry said it would need more medicine and modern medical equipment to treat broken bones, crushed internal organs and kidney cases. Since Monday, more than 64,000 Chinese have been given medical treatment. Deputy Health Minister Gao Qiang said 12,587 of those treated had serious injuries.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies appealed for immediate assistance from the international community, primarily for medicine and health workers, food, water and tents.