BEIJING: A Malaysian in one of the areas worst hit in yesterday's deadly earthquake in southwestern Sichuan province escaped unhurt but remains shaken by the force of the tremor and the destruction he witnessed.

Chia Chin Hau has left Mianzhu city where, according to state media, 1,500 people were killed and at least 19,000 more remained buried beneath the rubble in one city alone.

"I'm now in Dayang town and will be going to Chengdu. I am all right and am taking care of an injured colleague who is in hospital," said Chia, who is a financial controller with a Singapore-owned mining and chemical company, Sichuan Mianzhu Northwest Phosphorus Ltd.

Chia, who is from Sekinchan, Selangor, said he was at the factory when the quake struck Wenchuan county, 60km from Mianzhu.

"We saw buildings collapsing. There was dust everywhere. We drove to the town and spent the night in the open.
"There were cracks on a lot of buildings and a lot of ambulances were rushing in.

"I cannot express how bad the situation is. We have to watch out for the aftershocks, too."
He was unaware that the Chengdu airport had been closed following the quake.

"There is no way to get a ticket. I might fly to Singapore first," he said.

All flights to Chengdu were rerouted to neighbouring Chongqing airport soon after the quake.

The 7.9-magnitude quake that hit Wenchuan county recorded more than 1,000 aftershocks.

It had hit with the same force that flattened China's northern Tangshan city in 1976, in which more than 275,000 people were killed in the worst quake of the 20th century.

Another Malaysian, who is working in Mianyang City, said he called Chia after hearing about the seriousness of the situation in Mianzhu.

"I called Chia yesterday. The situation here in Mianyang is not serious and we have been given the day off today and tomorrow," said Jacky Lee, who works with a Singapore herbal company.

Lee said all four Malay-sians in Mianyang were unhurt. They had also stocked up on food and water.

"There are long queues and there is a short supply of petrol.

"There is no damage in the city itself but I heard it was bad in some counties," said Lee. -- Bernama