China has declared three days of national mourning exactly one week after a devastating earthquake hit the southwest province of Sichuan.

A three minute silence will begin at 06:28 GMT - the moment the quake began last Monday.

Car, train, ship horns and air raid sirens will sound across the country to signal the start of the silence.

Officials have put the confirmed death toll from the quake at more than 32,000 but believe it could reach 50,000.

Recovery workers say time is running out for people still alive beneath the rubble, while their work continues to be hampered by fresh tremors and bad weather.

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