The European Union offered assistance to China on Monday following the massive earthquake that struck the southwestern province of Sichuan, saying information from the region was "worrying". The European Union was closely monitoring the situation, a statement said, quoting commissioner for development and humanitarian aid Louis Michel. "The initial news from Sichuan is worrying," Mr Michel said. "Actual information is very sketchy but it seems likely that the quake has caused substantial damage over a considerable area, and there are already reports of some loss of life. We are ready to assist if the need arises." At least 7,000 people were confirmed killed hours after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Meanwhile, Japan told China it was ready to provide as much relief as possible to victims of a major earthquake, the foreign ministry said.