Olympic torch relay continues in China despite earthquake

May 13, 2008, 12:18 GMT

Beijing - The Olympic torch relay will continue in China despite a devastating earthquake that has left at least 10,000 dead, the Olympic organizing committee BOCOG said in Beijing Tuesday.

The relay will also continue as planned in the earthquake-devastated south-western Sichuan province, spokesman Zhang Zhaonan said.

On Tuesday, an earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale shook Wenchuan county in Sichuan province, just 25 hours after a 7.8-magnitude quake had hit the province.

The torch is to be carried through seven towns and cities in Sichuan from June 15 to 18. They include Mianyang and Guanghuan, both close to the epicentre, and the provincial capital of Chengdu.

However the foreign ministry said any decisions on the torch relay would be made 'according to the situation,' with the Beijing organizing committee continuing to monitoring the disaster.

Li Zhanjun, head of the Beijing media centre for the Games, was quoted by China's official Xinhua news agency as saying the torch relay route did not go through the earthquake-stricken area.

The torch has embarked as scheduled on its 12th domestic leg in Longyan in the south-eastern province of Fujian.

On Wednesday, the relay is scheduled to head to Jiangxi province as it continues its three-month journey through China culminating in Beijing with the lighting of the Olympic cauldron on August 8 to begin the Games.