BEIJING: The Beijing Olympic torch relay will be scaled down in the wake of the devastating earthquake that hit China, a spokesman for the Games organising committee (BOCOG) told AFP Tuesday.

Committee spokesman Sun Weide said that, starting from Wednesday's leg in the eastern province of Jianxi, the relay would be cut back and that one minute of silence will be observed before runners set off.

"The relay will be scaled down starting from Wednesday and procedures will be simplified," Sun told AFP. "The one minute of silence will reflect our concern for the earthquake victims."

Sun said that scaling down the relay and simplifying procedures would mostly affect ceremonies and celebrations that accompany the launch of each leg.

"We will be cutting down on the speeches and the singing and dancing that have marked the relay so far and it will be a much simpler affair," he said.

The 7.9-magnitude quake that struck Monday in southwest China's Sichuan province has killed more than 11,000 people, and there are fears the death toll will rise further. - AFP/ac

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