The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Guang'an

Crowds roared with delight and waved hundreds of Chinese flags in welcome as the Olympic torch began an emotional tour of Sichuan on Sunday, three months after a powerful quake devastated large swaths of the lush, mountainous province.

A minute of silence to honor the victims of the earthquake was held before the start of the run in Guang'an. The city is about 190 miles from the epicenter of the quake but was unscathed.

Thousands of people were on hand, some wearing orange, red and white T-shirts that said "Light the Passion, Share the Dream." They were gathered in a tourist park that honors communist patriarch Deng Xiaoping. Guang'an is his hometown.

A traditional drum performance was held before the first of 189 torch bearers set off on the 4.5-mile route. The way was lined with thousands of people, many waving Chinese and Olympic flags.

"I'm so moved t it's been a long wait. Even if we have to wait for hours it is worthwhile," said 28-year-old government worker Li Lei. Li, who said he cried when the torch run started, is from An county near Beichuan in northern Sichuan, one of the hardest-hit areas in the earthquake. Another man said the torch would help Sichuan rebuild.

"The torch represents peace and harmony. The Olympic spirit will give us strength to rebuild," said Qin Yi, also a government worker.

After Guang'an, the torch will wind through four more cities, including Mianyang, which was threatened by post-quake floods and provided shelter for tens of thousands of residents whose homes were destroyed by the magnitude-7.9 temblor.

Sichuan is the last stop for the Olympic flame before it heads to Beijing for Friday's opening ceremony of the games. The segment had originally been scheduled for mid-June but was postponed to support disaster-relief efforts.