As of 8:00 AM on Saturday, 143 aftershocks measuring 4 or higher on the Richter scale had been monitored since the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked southwest China's Sichuan Province Monday, China Seismological Bureau (CSB) said on Saturday.

Quakes between 5-5.9 on the Richter scale numbered 20, while quakes between 6-6.9 on the Richter scale numbered 3.

The national rescue team sent by the CSB had saved 46 survivors in the quake zone and rescue teams sent by provinces saved 198 survivors as of 9:00 AM on Saturday, according to the CSB.

The devastating quake, centered on Wenchuan County in Sichuan Province, affected many parts of the country. The death toll nationwide hit 22,069 nationwide as of 2:00 PM on Friday, while 168,669 people were injured.

(Xinhua News Agency May 17, 2008)