The story

The official death toll from the China earthquake stood at 12,012 on Wednesday afternoon, but it is expected to rise as soldiers and rescue crews pull more bodies from crumbled buildings at the epicenter in Sichuan province.

Casualty figures from various cities, in fact, already indicate a higher death toll. The state-run Xinhua news agency has provided death toll for eight communities that add up to 19,565, including roughly 7,700 who perished in the town of Yingxiu, near the earthquake's epicenter.

Authorities have said the death toll from Monday's quake might change every hour, as they heard reports from crews frantically working to remove bodies and survivors from the debris, the state-run Xinhua news agency said. Read full article »