Beijing, China (CNN) -- The death toll from the devastating mudslide in China's northwestern Gansu province stood at 1,248 on Monday, a day after the country paused for three minutes in memory of those who perished.
Another 496 people are still missing a week after torrential rains triggered the mudslides on July 8, the state-run Xinhua news agency said.
At 10 a.m. Sunday, Chinese President Hu Jintao and other top leaders paid a silent tribute ahead of a party meeting.
At the Dongjie Village in hardest-hit Zhouqu county, more than 5,000 rescuers and villagers stood still atop mudslide debris with their heads bowed, Xinhua said. CNN
