Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Saturday the massive May 12 earthquake has claimed more than 60,000 lives in Sichuan Province and other affected regions in the country.

Nearly 30,000 people remained missing, and nearly 300,000 others were injured in the earthquake, Wen told United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a meeting at Yingxiu Town in the epicenter Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province.

(Xinhua News Agency May 24, 2008)