A massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck China this morning.  Thousands have already died and that number could grow exponentially.

A massive earthquake struck central China on Monday and state media reported that as many as 5,000 people were killed in a single county while nearly 900 students were trapped under the rubble of their school.

The official Xinhua News Agency said 80 percent of the buildings had collapsed in Beichuan county in Sichuan province after the 7.8-magnitude quake.

Xinhua reported that 3,000 to 5,000 people had died in Beichuan, which has a population of 160,000, raising fears the overall death toll could increase sharply. Another 10,000 people were believed to be hurt.

Hopefully the deaths in China will get no where close to those in Burma from the cyclone. Is this the beginning of the end?