Deadliest Earthquake Affects half of all Chinese Provinces

London - One of the strongest earthquakes in decades struck central China on Monday, prompting the UN chief Ban Ki-moon to call for a global support to China to deal with the deadliest earthquake in recent decades.

''He extends his deepest condolences to the families of those who have been killed or injured in the earthquake,'' UN chief Ban Ki-moon’s spokesperson said Monday.

Measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, the quake devastated half of the provinces and municipalities in China killing over to 9,000 people and injuring over 10,000 people according to the initial report reaches TNS. Casualties are expected to rise further.

At least 900 students were trapped under the collapsed school building where toxic chemical leakage also reported, according to the state media report.

Fearing after effect of the strongest earthquake people were rushing out of buildings and into the streets hundreds of miles away in Beijing and Shanghai. The earthquake also felt as far away as Vietnam and Thailand. Earthquake also rattled buildings in the Chinese Capital city of Beijing over 1000 miles away from the epicenter of the earthquake.

U.S. President George W. Bush also conveyed his country "stands ready to help in any way possible."

"I am particularly saddened by the number of students and children affected by this tragedy," Bush said.

"Traffic jams, no running water, power outs, everyone sitting in the streets, patients evacuated from hospitals sitting outside and waiting," an Israeli student, Ronen Medzini said a text message was sent to The Associated Press (AP).

Li Jiulin, a top engineer on the 91,000-seat National Stadium — known as the Bird's Nest and the jewel of the Olympics — was conducting an inspection at the venue when the quake occurred. He told reporters the building was designed to withstand an 8.0 quake.

"The Olympic venues were not affected by the earthquake," said Sun Weide, a spokesman for the Beijing organizing committee.

Skyscrapers swayed in Shanghai and in the Taiwanese capital of Taipei, 100 miles off the southeastern Chinese coast. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

China's deadliest earthquake had stuck in the northeastern city of Tangshan on July 28, 1976, killing 240,000 people.