BEIJING, April 21 (Xinhua) -- While the deaths of at least 200 people from an earthquake in southwest China's Sichun Province has saddened the country, the birth of a baby shortly after the disaster provided hope.
The baby was born in a make-shift operating room that was set up in Ya'an People's Hospital, which is providing medical treatment for quake victims.
It was the first baby that was born after the 7.0-magnitude quake struck Lushan County of Ya'an City at 8:02 a.m on Saturday. The baby was born about two hours after the quake.
The mother named the girl "Zhensheng," which means "born on the day of the quake."
Cheered by the news, Internet users took to Weibo, the largest microblogging service in the country, to send their blessings.
"I will pray for the baby, and I wish her all the best. Five years ago, my baby was born on the night of the Wenchuan earthquake. I know how the mother is feeling," said a user with the screen name "yinqingyouxin."
Life and death always seems the eternal theme of disasters.
On the lawn behind the Lushan People's Hospital, the body of Zou Hanjun laid motionlessly Saturday.
Nine hours earlier when the 49-year-old woman was retrieved from the debris of her house, the neighbors found her son, Yang Fuzhen, being held tight in her arms.
The seven-year-old boy miraculously escaped death unscathed, thanks to his mother's protection at the price of her own life.
Also on Saturday, rescuers pulled out another mother from the debris in the village of Wuxing in Longmen township, the quake's epicenter and where the damage is most severe.
The mother had lost consciousness, yet was still holding her child in her arms, who was already dead.
Death will not pardon the rescuers, either.
A vehicle carrying 17 soldiers veered off a road and went into a ravine on their way from Chengdu to Ya'an during the rescue mission on Saturday.
One soldier died and seven others were injured in the accident.
A friend of the soldier lit three cigarettes by his body, wishing the deceased man to rest in peace.
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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Saturday afternoon visited the area torn by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake in China's Sichuan Province, calling for wasting no time to save lives.
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A 7.0- magnitude earthquake which hit Lushan County on April 20 morning damaged the Lushan People's Hospital and doctors had to erect temporary tents outside the hosptial to treat the injured people.
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Altogether 179 people have been killed in the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan Province, the China Earthquake Administration announced Sunday.
Baby born right after earthquake in SW China
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