U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice extended again solace to victims of the Wenchuan earthquake in a telephone conversation with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Saturday.

Rice also expressed U.S. readiness to provide further relief support to the quake-hit areas.

Yang briefed Rice on China's all-out rescue and relief efforts and thanked the U.S. government and non-governmental organizations for their financial and material support to the people in the disaster areas.

A 7.8-magnitude quake centered on Wenchuan county, 159 km northwest of Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan province, struck on Monday.

The death toll nationwide rose to 28,881 as of 2 p.m. Saturday (0600 GMT), while 198,347 people were injured, according to the Information Office of the State Council.

(Xinhua News Agency May 18, 2008)