A ginat panda which went missing from a major panda base in southwest China's Sichuan Province after the May 12 earthquake was spotted alive about 5:20 PM on Sunday by a group of road workers.

The panda, named Xixi, was found playing at the other side of a river near the China Giant Panda Protection and Research Center in Wolong by the workers from the Chongqing Municipality, according to Zhu Xiaotao, one of the workers repairing the road damaged in the quake.

The workers informed staff of the panda center, and together they tried to use a crane to get across the water to capture the animal. However, the arm of crane could only reach the center of the waterway, Zhu said.

Panda carers said Xixi is safe and they will continue to search for it today. Another panda is still missing.

(Xinhua News Agency May 26, 2008)