In one single school in earthquake-hit Sichuan Province 178 students were confirmed dead on Wednesday morning.

A three-storied residential building at the Muyu Middle School in Qingchuan County collapsed in the quake, burying 285 students who were taking noon nap. Another 139 students escaped.

As of 11:00 AM on Wednesday, 178 were confirmed dead, 84 buried students were rescued and 23 others remained missing, according to Chen Zhengyong, head of the county government.

More than 600 local police and officials were still searching the buried students on Wednesday afternoon.

Chen said the rescue operation was hampered by lack of materials and high air temperatures. Power and water supplies were cut off in the area, while drugs was also urgently needed.

(Xinhua News Agency May 14, 2008)