More than 9,500 people remain buried in southwest China's Sichuan Province by Sunday, after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the province on May 12, the Sichuan government said on Sunday.

The death toll in Sichuan alone has exceeded 31,900 as of 4 p.m. Sunday, and more than 209,900 people were injured, said Vice Governor of Sichuan Li Chengyun.

Nationwide, the confirmed death toll rose to 32,477 on Sunday.

(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2008)