China Earthquake Deaths Top 50,000

The death toll in China's earthquake rose sharply today to more than 50,000, as the authorities appealed for more than 3m tents to shelter the homeless.

Cabinet spokesman, Guo Weimin, said the number of confirmed dead was 51,151, more than 10,000 higher than yesterday's toll. A further 29,328 people were missing and nearly 300,000 injured.

The figures came after China's foreign ministry appealed again for international help in the relief effort.

Spokesman Qin Gang said: "We need more than 3.3m tents. We hope the international community can give priority in providing tents."

It is estimated that up to 5 million people were left homeless by the earthquake which struck Sichuan province on May 12. More than 4,000 children were orphaned, according to local authorities.

Tens of thousands of people are still living under shelters of scrap wood and nylon sheeting.

The World Health Organization said it was sending additional medical supplies and an expert team to China.

It would provide equipment to ensure clean drinking water and proper sanitation to control "any outbreak and spread of communicable diseases such as diarrhea."

The Olympic torch relay restarted with a minute's silence after three days of mourning for the earthquake victims. The run has been toned down in following the earthquake.

Beijing Olympics organizers also said in a statement that the relay's Sichuan leg would be delayed "to support the disaster relief efforts." Originally planned for next month, the leg now will take place just before the start of the games.