The earthquake that hit southwest China's Sichuan province caused nearly 5.5 million buildings to collapse there, a government official said Friday as he gave a detailed summary of the damage.

The Beijing Olympic torch relay will be altered so that the flame goes through earthquake-ravaged Sichuan province shortly before the Games, organisers said Thursday. 

A senior Chinese official said on Thursday that the earthquake death toll in the province exceeded 14,000. He said another 1,405 people were missing. Li said relief materials such as food and quilts were being transported to victims. A