The death toll in China's major earthquake increased by 9,798 to 51,151 as of 10:00 AM on Thursday, according to the State Council Information Office.

And 288,431 people were injured and 29,328 missing in the 8.0-magnitude quake that jolted southwestern Sichuan Province on May 12.

The Ministry of Health said that 3,444 people injured in the quake had died in hospitals as of Thursday noon.

The hospitals have taken in 68,608 injured people since the quake. By noon on Thursday, 28,497 people had recovered and been discharged while 33,665 were still being treated, the ministry said. Meanwhile, 3,002 patients have been transferred outside of Sichuan for further treatment.

Power supply restored in most part of quake-hit areas but Beichuan county, one of the worst hit ones, remained black out and Hongyuan had seen electricity cut off again due to aftershocks, the State Electricity Regulatory Commission said in a statement.

(Xinhua News Agency May 22, 2008)