The strong earthquake in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Monday has made 66 stock listing companies stop trading as of Tuesday.

These Sichuan and Chongqing-based companies include 45 Shanghai listed companies and 21 Shenzhen listed companies, such as Sichuan Road and Bridge, Huiyuan Optical Communication and Datong Gas. The stock exchange failed to contact the companies after the earthquake.

People close to the Shanghai Exchanges said some of the companies may contact the exchanges in the next two days and relevant information will be published on Wednesday.

A 7.8-magnitude earthquake rocked Wenchuan County in Sichuan Province at 2:28 pm Monday, and more than 1,000 aftershocks have been recorded.

The death toll caused by the earthquake climbed to 9,219 by Tuesday morning.

(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2008)