The official death toll from last Monday's massive earthquake in south-western China has risen to almost 32,500.

It's also been confirmed that at least three people died in an aftershock on Sunday that measured more than six on the Richter scale.

Our correspondent in Beijing, Peter Cave, reports there have been hundreds of aftershocks, including 24 measuring over five on the Richter scale, since last Monday's quake.

The Chinese Government now says the original quake measured eight on the open ended scale.

The aftershock and subsequent landslides caused major damage to roads, hampering relief work but the official newsagency Xinhua says that all nuclear facilities in the quake zone, including the country's main weapons research centre are in a safe and controllable state.

The government has declared three days of national mourning from Monday, and suspended the Olympic torch relay.

China's national meteorological centre is predicting torrential rains later this week in the quake disaster zone, warning they could trigger landslides.

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