As of noon yesterday, 182 aftershocks measuring magnitude 4 or above had been monitored in Sichuan, according to the China Seismological Bureau, including 28 aftershocks measuring above magnitude 5.

The strongest aftershock was of magnitude 6.4 on Sunday afternoon, centered on Qingchuan county, which killed at least 8 and leaving more than 900 injured.

About 14.38 million people have been relocated since May 12.

Hospitals have admitted 83,527, of whom 53,247 have been discharged.

Meanwhile, almost 500,000 tents have been delivered to quake-affected areas, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

About 96 percent of households in quake-stricken areas in Sichuan have had their electricity restored, according to Sichuan Electric Power Corporation. But Beichuan county is suffering from a blackout.

Local officials have promised a special investigation into the collapse of Beichuan Middle School, where up to 1,300 children and teachers died in the quake.

"We will preserve all the buildings, whether collapsed or not, for experts to investigate," Zuo Daifu, Mianyang vice-mayor, was quoted as saying by the First Financial Daily.

"Most of the experts will be dispatched soon by the central government," he said.

"The builders will be held responsible if the work is found to be shoddy."

Two teaching buildings in the school were leveled and another, where 508 students were having classes, was badly damaged.

A spokesman for the Education Ministry yesterday also pledged to investigate the school building quality.

(China Daily, Xinhua News Agency, May 27, 2008)