China intensifies quake rescue but hopes dim
Premier Wen Jiabao, a geologist himself, has criss-crossed the disaster zone and made emotional appeals to workers and comfort orphaned children.
"To be responsible to the people, be responsible to history, we must do rescue organization work at this crucial moment," he said late on Wednesday, according to Xinhua.
The quake was the worst to hit China since 1976 when up to 300,000 died. Leading disaster modeling firm AIR Worldwide said the cost of the quake was likely to exceed $20 billion.
(Writing by Chris Buckley; Editing by David Fox)
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