Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday urged rescuers to spare no efforts to continue searching for victims trapped in the debris in quake-hit areas in Sichuan.

At an executive meeting of the State Council, China's cabinet, Li proposed a moment of silence to mourn the victims of the Lushan earthquake and people who lost their lives in disaster relief operations.

"Although the first 72 hours, the peak time for saving lives, has passed, we should not give up searching for trapped victims. We should check every spot," he said.