Putin offers China quake recovery help

Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin offered China assistance on Saturday in helping recover from a quake that struck the southwest Sichuan province and killed at least 71 people, the Kremlin said.

Putin sent Chinese President Xi Jinping a telegramme expressing his condolences and offering help.

"The Russian leader affirmed Russia`s readiness in case of need to provide assistance in dealing with the consequences of this damaging natural disaster," the Kremlin said in a statement.
China`s Xinhua news agency, quoting the China Earthquake Administration, said on Saturday that the death toll had risen of 71 people, with a further 600 people injured.

AFP