China observing 3-day mourning period

BEIJING, May 18 (UPI) -- The Chinese government Sunday called on the country to engage in a three-day mourning period for those killed in last week's earthquake.

The national mourning period requires all flags be flown at half-staff and all public recreational activities halt from Monday to Wednesday, Xinhua reported Sunday.

The Olympic torch relay will be halted during the mourning period, the Beijing Olympic torch relay Ningbo Organizing Committee said Sunday.

"All the public entertainment activities will be canceled during the three days of mourning, including the torch relay," said Lao Jinlong, vice president of the Ningbo Municipal Sports Bureau in east China's Zhejiang Province.

Officials also have asked the public to observe three minutes of silence starting at 2:28 p.m. Monday, as trains, vehicles and boats sound their sirens.

The official death toll for the 7.8-magnitude earthquake reached 32,477 Sunday, and the number of people injured reached 220,109, the emergency response office reported.