LUSHAN, Sichuan, April 22 (Xinhua) -- More than two days after a devastating earthquake jolted southwest China's Sichuan Province, people in the quake-hit region are struggling to save themselves or help others.
As of 2 p.m. on Monday, the 7.0-magnitude quake that rocked Lushan County of Ya'an City at 8:02 a.m. Saturday has left 188 people dead and 25 missing, according to the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
Before more relief supplies reach remote areas, local residents have begun their own rescue attempts though many have suffered injuries or lost loved ones or properties to the natural disaster.
Here are some snapshots from the quake sites.
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Zhou Jilu, a man in his 40s, also a stockholder of the Lushan Longsheng Cotton Mill, asked staff with his factory's canteen to arrange dinners for volunteers and rescuers at the courtyard in front of his damaged workshops in Siyan Township.
Volunteer Li Meng told Xinhua that it was the best meal he had in the quake zone over the past two days, as it contained rice, fish and pickled cucumbers.
"All the equipment in my plant, which was worth more than 10 million yuan (1.6 million U.S. dollars), was destroyed in the earthquake," Zhou sighed.
Zhou had run the cotton mill for seven years but saw it wrecked in a few seconds.
"No matter how worried and hopeless I feel, it won't change the fact that the factory has been destroyed," Zhou said.
So instead of commiserating, Zhou and his employees have cooked lunch and supper for people in vehicles passing by every day, hoping the dinner table could become his new starting point.
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