China to probe high number of school collapses

Beijing: A rescue force of 130,000 troops searched for survivors on Friday as China launched a probe into the high number of school collapses in Monday's killer earthquake.

The 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck in China's southwest Sichuan province while schools were open; burying thousands of children. Authorities fear the death toll could exceed 50,000.

The Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development ordered an investigation into why 6,898 school buildings collapsed while their surrounding buildings remained intact.

The issue has fuelled anger from parents who have accused authorities of cutting costs and failing to meet safety standards.

"If quality problems do exist in the school buildings, we will deal with the persons responsible strictly with no toleration and give the public a satisfying answer," Xinhua news agency quoted Han Jin, head of the development and planning department of the Ministry of Education, as saying.