The Chinese national gymnastics team, who are participating in the 2008 Federation Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) World Cup in the north Chinese city of Tianjin, have donated money to the earthquake-stricken areas.

Gao Jian, director of the Chinese gymnastics administration center, said the center and the Chinese gymnastics association have donated 1 million yuan (US$142,800) to the earthquake victims.

Chinese gymnasts have donated money too.

"We were shocked when we heard the news on Monday," said Olympic champion Li Xiaopeng.

A strong quake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale struck Wenchuan in southwest China's Sichuan Province at 2:28 PM on Monday.

The tremor was felt in many other parts of the country. The disaster had caused more than 12,000 reported deaths by Tuesday evening in Sichuan alone.

(Xinhua News Agency May 14, 2008)