Flags are to be kept at half-mast in Hong Kong from May 19 to 21 to display respect for the dead in a severe earthquake in Sichuan Province, a spokesman of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government announced Sunday.

The spokesman said that all the HKSAR government departments and schools will keep flags at half-mast. All the government staffs will stand in silence for three minutes from 2:28 p.m. on Monday.

The State Council, the Cabinet, on Sunday ordered a nationwide display of respect for the victims of the May 12 earthquake. All public amusements will be suspended for three days from Monday.

The Olympic torch relay will also be suspended from Monday to Wednesday, the Olympic organizing committee said.

The death toll from the powerful earthquake rose to 32,477 nationwide as of 2 p.m. on Sunday, while the number of injured reached 220,109, according to the emergency response office under the State Council.

(Xinhua News Agency May 19, 2008)