The U.S. embassy to China, on behalf of the U.S. government, Wednesday handed over 500,000 U.S. dollars of cash to the Red Cross Society of China for quake relief in southwestern China.

The White House announced Tuesday that the United States would provide 500,000 dollars in initial aid to China over the devastating quake.

A 7.8-magnitude quake rocked Wenchuan county, 159 km northwest of Chengdu, Sichuan province's capital, at 2:28 p.m. (0628 GMT) Monday, killing nearly 15,000 people in eight affected provinces.

(Xinhua News Agency May 15, 2008)