"Actual information is very sketchy but it seems likely that the quake has caused substantial damage over a considerable area, and there are already reports of some loss of life," he said.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in a condolences message to his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao, "Accept my sincere and profound condolences in connection with the May 12 earthquake in the Sichuan province."

Medvedev asked the Chinese leader to convey his words of solace to the relatives and friends of those who were killed in the quake and wished speedy recovery to survivors.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday sent her condolences to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao over the heavy loss of life in the powerful earthquake.

In an official statement, Merkel said the German government was ready to provide speedy assistance for China.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda extended his condolences Monday to the quake-affected people in Sichuan, hoping that they could resume their normal lives and reconstruct their homes soon.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini felt deep sorrow over the disaster to strike the Chinese people and government and expressed sympathy for the families of the victims.

Other foreign leaders including German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Jansa, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John D. Negroponte and Russian Ambassador to China Sergei Razov also extended their condolences and sympathy to China over the quake.

The earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.8 on the Richter scale, rocked southwest China Monday afternoon. The death toll from the earthquake in Sichuan province alone has climbed to 8,533, according to local authorities.

(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2008)