BEIJING, July 3 (Reuters) - Hundreds of prisoners in China's quake-hit southwestern province of Sichuan have had their jail terms reduced for courage shown in relief and rescue work when the disaster struck, state media said on Thursday.

A total of 436 prisoners will be released from jail early and more than 1,000 have been praised for "protecting state property and/or rescuing survivors", the official China Daily said.

One prisoner, jailed for murder, was released on probation for carrying a handicapped inmate to safety after May's 7.9 magnitude quake.

"Hong knew that the roof of the building could collapse any moment, but he ignored the danger to his own life to save a person who was crying for help," it paraphrased prison official Zhong Chuanyuan as saying.

Eight prisoners have already been released on probation for their efforts during the quake, the report said.

The government would also cut sentences for inmates who had disabled children, or aged parents to take care of, it said.

The earthquake killed about 70,000 people and made more than 10 million homeless in China, official figures showed. (Reporting by Beijing newsroom, editing by Ben Blanchard and Ben Tan)

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