Public mourning held for quake victims in China

Public mourning was held today for nearly 200 people who were killed in a 7.0-magnitude quake in China last week, even as authorities declared a high alert for secondary disasters like landslides in the quake-hit region.
The public mourning began with all vehicles sounding their sirens at 8:02 am, the time the devastating earthquake hit on April 20, and was followed by a silent tribute of 3 minutes.
The quake has claimed nearly 200 lives and destroyed about 126,000 homes, according to official figure.
Meanwhile authorities declared a high alert for secondary disasters like landslides in the quake-hit region as the rainy season approached.

The provincial government has put in place an emergency response plan against geological hazards.
Currently more than 400 professionals are identifying risks in the affected areas, especially around temporary settlements, state run Xinhua news agency reported.
Based on the hazard evaluation, they will formulate plans for early warning, evacuation and emergency rescue to prevent the loss of lives and property caused by secondary hazards.