Thousands missing in quake debris

More than 19,000 people remain trapped in the rubble of Sichuan's second city, Mianyang, as a massive rescue operation battled heavy rain and aftershocks yesterday to search for tens of thousands who remain missing after Monday's devastating earthquake. Only 2,000 people have been found alive in Yingxiu, which has a population of 12,000, state television reported. The official death toll has passed 13,000 but looks set to rise sharply. Meanwhile 19 British tourists, in central China for a panda-watching tour, are still missing.