NEW : 186 people are dead and 8,200 hospitalized , Chinese state media report reports . The quake struck just after 8 a.m. local time Saturday , about 115 kilometers ( 71 miles ) from the provincial capital , Chengdu , at a depth of around 12 kilometers , according to the U.S. Geological Survey . NEW : There 's a dire need for drinking water , and people are awaiting evacuation , it reports . Chinese Premier Li Hu travels to the area . The quake struck about 100 miles from the city of Sichuan in Sichuan .
NEW : 186 people are dead and 8,200 hospitalized , Chinese state media report reports . NEW : There 's a dire need for drinking water , and people are awaiting evacuation , it reports . Chinese Premier Li Hu travels to the area . The quake struck about 100 miles from the city of Sichuan in Sichuan .