Chinese President Hu Jintao Sunday paid a silent tribute to victims of a massive mudslide in Zhouqu County in northwest China's Gansu Province, as thousands of soldiers are still battling for rescue and disinfection efforts in the county.

China declared Sunday as the national day of mourning for mudslide victims in Zhouqu County, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. The mudslide, which took place on Aug. 8, has killed more than 1,200 people and left 500 more missing.

Chinese national flags across the country and at overseas embassies and consulates were lowered to half-mast Sunday to mourn those killed in the mudslide.

(Xinhua News Agency August 15, 2010)